Searching for Eternity
by JinKeiHinote
Summary: Sheldon has a strange dream...and now he finds himself protecting the new neighbor! He and the rest of the gang are about to be thrown into a huge journey that leads them to a new world, powers, and a whole lot of trouble! Sheldon C./Original Character, Leonard/Penny, Howard/Bernadette, Raj/?
1. Chapter 1: The Request

"You complete my fate

The heavens stroll inside of me

You repeat my fate

Revealing who we are

You refill my place

You refill my place

Come and save me..."

- Kiri by Monoral

Searching for Eternity

Chapter One - The Request

Authors Note:

Rated "T" for some language, some suggestive themes and mild violence in later chapters (nothing gory I promise!) This is my first fic so please bear with me! Its an alternate universe/fantasy/drama/romance (I could only pick 2 in the uploader though . )story featuring the TBBT characters and some of my own original characters. I do not own The Big Bang Theory (but oh how I wish! lol) Chuck Lorre does. I'm just having fun with the characters. ^_^ FYI, along the way some of the gang will act out of character for short moments. There's a reason for that in the later chapters. Anything written in bold is emphasized and italics are thoughts.

"...-don..." A faint voice began to seep into his mind. He stood there in the darkness straining his ears, hoping to hear it again.

"...-eldon..." The voice gained volume and he began running, though he couldn't see where he was going. He felt a sense of urgency, he had to find the source of the voice. He had heard it before but was never able to locate the source.

"Sheldon..." Sheldon stopped dead in his tracks. It was a woman's voice, gentle and pleading. Suddenly a soft glow spread through the darkness. Sheldon spun around and saw her...an older woman dressed in a flowing sky blue gown. As his eyes drew themselves up from the bottom of her dress to meet her eyes, he noticed that the material seemed to dance around her though there was no wind. It didn't seem logical to him, but he cast the thought aside and rubbed his eyes as they continued to adjust to the light. Her gown shimmered and was adorned with long, thin black ribbons that wrapped around the length of the empire style gown.

Around her neck was a black ribbon with a golden diamond shaped pendant with wings. A small onyx dragon wrapped around it. It rested gently against her soft, pale skin. He thought he had seen it somewhere before but couldn't seem to recall where from.

Her waist length platinum hair gently moved behind her, her eyes were a soft shade of silvery-blue and looked so kind, yet scared.

Sheldon stared at her. He finally had a face to connect to the voice, This woman...this woman that was standing before him was unlike anyone he had ever seen. Surely she couldn't be wasn't possible. He stood frozen as she approached him.

As she moved she raised her hand and rested it softly on his face. Sheldon's right eye twitched. She touched him! He didn't like coming in contact with people...his mind began to race thinking of others peoples germs, how he needed to clean and disinfect...but as she spoke the thoughts left him.

"Sheldon, please help me...please guard her..."

"Who? How am I supposed to protect someone when I have no idea who they are?" He looked confused. Was this a joke? Who was this person?

"I cannot stay in your mind for long, but something terrible is about to happen to the world around you. You must stay with my daughter and guard her until she wakes. She will guide you all to the gate and on to my realm. All of your fates are intertwined..." Her image slowly began to fade and she backed away.

Instinctively, Sheldon immediately knelt down and bowed his head to her. As she began to fade further out of sight, the glowing light also began to vanish. Her last words still echoed through the returning darkness.

Tuesday, June 16th

Sheldon bolted upright in a cold sweat and over the side of his bed, landing face first on the floor below.

"Danger! Dan-Ow!" It took him a moment to remember where he was, safely in his own bedroom. He stood up and rubbed his forehead. Hoping he didn't get a concussion from it, he crawled back into bed. Glancing over at the small alarm clock that sat next to his luminous fish nightlight he sighed. It was 3:15 in the morning. Feeling annoyed that his REM cycle had been disturbed several nights in a row, he threw the covers off him and got out of bed. Perhaps a glass of warm milk would ease him back into sleep.

He stopped at his door for a moment, and thought about the recent dream he had. It was certainly odd, but felt important. He made a mental note to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary anyway. He was sure it wouldn't hurt to be a little extra cautious...as long as it didn't interfere with his daily routine.

Sheldon proceeded into the kitchen and opened the door of the refrigerator and glanced down at where the carton of milk was supposed to be. There wasn't any.

"_Damn it, Penny's been in here again...she needs to buy her own instead of stealing ours for her morning coffee..._" He sighed and went back to bed. He laid there for about an hour before he drifted back to sleep.

Later that morning Sheldon and Leonard were gathering their things and getting ready to go to work when they heard multiple footsteps and a loud crash in the hallway. Worried, Leonard poked his head out the door to see Penny and another girl kneeling beside a box that appeared to have burst open at the bottom, spilling kitchen utensils and silverware all over the floor. The girls picked up the mess and began stuffing the utensils into the large shopping bag Penny had with her. Penny didn't mind letting her use it to lug the box's contents upstairs.

"I'm so sorry Penny, I thought I had put enough tape on the bottom of that..." The girl sighed and continued, "Thanks for helping me clean it up."

"Not a problem sweetie! Its happened to me before too. Oh! Hi Leonard! Sorry didn't mean to startle you. This is Kimiko, shes moving into the apartment above you guys!"

"Really? What happened to the other girl that was there? You know, that actress...Alicia?"

"Oh her? Turns out she got some big movie deal. Probably slept with the director, the little skank..." Penny trailed off for a second before snapping her attention back to Kimiko.

"Anyway! Kimiko's really nice! Kimiko, this is my boyfriend Leonard."

Kimiko waved and gave him a small smile. "Nice to meet you, you guys can call me Kim for short if you want. Penny was telling me about you guys on the way up from the lobby. She told me that your roommate might be upset about someone moving in upstairs from you but don't worry, it's just me and I'm pretty quiet."

Hearing the unfamiliar voice and the remark about moving in above them, Sheldon swung the door open and pushed past Leonard to see the new tenant for himself. He was about to start asking questions about the impending noise level when he froze.

Platinum hair (shoulder length and a black streak from root to end on the right side of her bangs) , Silver-blue eyes, beautiful pale skin, and a slightly startled expression. As she and Penny stood up, he noticed she was a little shorter than Penny, but still taller than Leonard (which wasn't hard for most people...). She looked similar to the woman from the dream...at least he thought. He wasn't entirely sure...his mind felt a bit fuzzy still. He stared for a few moments before excusing himself and rushing down the stairs yelling for Leonard.

"Leonard! Its 8:13, we should have left 13 minutes ago! Now we're going to be late!"

Leonard sighed and said his goodbyes and chased after Sheldon, who spent the entire trip to the university uncharacteristically quiet.

"You ok Sheldon? Normally you try to start a game or something but this is weird even for you."

"I'm perfectly fine Leonard." Sheldon left it at that and stared out the window


	2. Chapter 2: Friends Perhaps?

Chapter Two - Friends Perhaps?

Later that day...

"So let me get this straight, there's a beautiful woman living all alone above you guys? Is she single?" Howard gawked at Leonard and Sheldon from across the lunch table only to be smacked in the shoulder by Raj.

"Dude! You have a girlfriend, you shouldn't be asking them that!" He went silent for a minute before asking "**Is **she single?"

Leonard shrugged and Sheldon piped up. "Frankly I don't really care, as long as shes not loud I could care less about her living above us. I don't like to associate with neighbors."

"Penny's our neighbor..."

"That's different. She's your girlfriend, and we've known her for almost 5 years. Plus, I'm forced to put up with her on a daily basis."

"What's her name?" Raj asked hopefully.

"I think Penny said her name was Kimiko. She said we can call her Kim though." Leonard took a bit of his lunch and Howard grinned.

"Oh, Kimiko...means empress child or something like that. It's Japanese..how exotic..." Howard smirked.

"Yeah Penny texted me earlier about that...she lived in Tokyo until she graduated high school. Not long after and she moved to the U.S. to go to college. Guess Penny and Kim are becoming friends. Penny got her a job over at the Cheesecake Factory with her and Bernadette."

Sheldon sat quietly listening to them go on about the new girl, but he wasn't entirely convinced it was a coincidence that she moved into their building. It was something he would have to further investigate...and he couldn't shake the dream he had earlier. Something just didn't fit.

Meanwhile, at The Cheesecake Factory...

"So Penny tells me you moved in to the apartment above Leonard and Sheldon. Thats nice." Bernadette smiled at Kimiko and handed her an apron and notepad for taking orders.

"Yeah, and I'm really glad I'm making friends so quickly here, Penny's been really nice. She helped me get the rest of my things moved into my place this morning and I'm really thankful that she helped me find a job so quickly." Kimiko smiled and followed Bernadette as she showed her the menu and got her ready for their shift. Penny joined them a little later on and she gave Kimiko the heads up on the other guys in their group of friends.

"So Raj really can't speak to women?" She asked curiously.

"Nope. not unless hes boozed up...but then he kinda gets a little obnoxious. Overall though hes nice. Howard comes off as a perv, but he means well. If he asks you if you want to drive the Mars rover, slap him. He and Bernadette are engaged by the way."

"Uh, okay...what about your boyfriend's roommate...um...Sheldon was it?" It took her a moment to remember that man's name. She thought back to how he had surprised her in the hallway of the apartment building earlier and blushed a little. He seemed to stare at her but she wasn't sure if she found it interesting or a little creepy...

"Oh yeah, Sheldon's a bit of a wack-a-doodle. germaphobic, OCD, kind of a know it all, but he can be fun once you get to know him as long as he isn't driving you completely insane. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to take a frying pan to his skull. He dated my friend Amy a while back but they decided it was better to just be friends. Oh right! You haven't met Amy yet. She's off in Europe for a while for work. She's pretty cool. you'd like her. She a neurologist. Isn't that what your studying?"

"Oh no, I'm studying Oneirology, its the scientific study of dreams. We're currently researching the connection between dreaming and current knowledge about the functions of the brain, as well as understanding of how the brain works during dreaming...It's really interesting." She smiled.

The rest of their day went well, aside from the very hands-on creep at the bar, but after trying to grab Kimiko's backside she spun around and right-hooked the guy right off his bar stool and on to the floor, gaining the applause from the other customers that were getting fed up with him. Not long after the guys came in for their ritualistic Tuesday night dinner and Penny introduced Kimiko to Howard and Raj. Howard made a pass at her (and got smacked by Bernadette shortly after...) and Raj had only made a small 'eep' sound before waving shyly at her and turning a deep shade of red.

"Aw Bernadette you were right, Raj is a cutie-pie!" Kimiko chuckled and Raj grinned.

Sheldon didn't eat much. He spent most of his time observing his new neighbor when he thought the others weren't looking. Then that voice from his dream rang in his ear...

"_...Guard her until she wakes. She will guide you all to the gate and on to my realm. All of your fates are intertwined..._" He winced a little as a slight pain hit his right temple but sighed and decided to return his attention to his meal. Secretly, he found this girl to be interesting and thought it best to stick around and talk to her after her shift ended.

After the guys finished their dinner and paid, Howard, Leonard, and Raj got up to leave but Sheldon had stayed seated.

"Aren't you coming Sheldon?" Asked Leonard but Sheldon put his hand up and shook his head.

" No I think I'll remain here. I have some questions for Kimiko that need answering as soon as possible."

"You're not going to bug her about the noise levels are you?"

"I think that's none of your concern, but I assure you its nothing to do with you." Sheldon smirked and after watching his friends leave, he approached his new neighbor.

"Hi Sheldon, is there something you need?" She smiled politely and Sheldon found her gentle and sweet voice calming for some reason. It was truly odd. He cleared his throat and looked at her.

"Yes actually. I require a few moments of your time to ask you a few questions. When does your shift end?"

Glancing at her watch, she spoke without looking up at him. "In a few minutes actually. Can you wait for me outside and I'll meet you?"

"I suppose that would be acceptable. I will see you then." Sheldon walked out the door and Penny tapped her on the shoulder.

"So whats up with Sheldon?"

"Oh, he wanted to talk to me about something. Didn't say what though. Would it be ok if I took a raincheck on that lift home? Its only a few blocks and I think I'd like to walk around a bit before going home."

"Sure, not a problem. You have my cell number so call me if you need anything." Penny smiled and went out back to put her apron away and clock out.

After Kimiko exited her workplace, she walked up to Sheldon and asked him to walk with her while they talked.

"So what was it that you needed to ask me?" She looked at him curiously and he began rambling on about what her daily routine was and if she was going to be noisy in the apartment upstairs (which she assured him the noise wasn't going to be an issue. As far as routines it wasn't his business...) and eventually came to the topic of why she chose to move to Pasadena in the first place. Kimiko thought about it for a moment and spoke quietly, "I'm not really sure...I just felt like this was where I'm supposed to be and the change would hopefully do me some good..."

They continued talking about well...everything Sheldon could think to ask her about her life and what he and his friends did at the university. She found it interesting that they were all physicists, and an engineer. She told Sheldon about her studies as well.

Sheldon came to the conclusion that this girl also had similar interests to Penny...they both had a love for shopping and shoes, which meant Penny would maybe be spending less time with them and more with this girl. The thought pleased him. He could finally get Penny out of his and Leonard's apartment once in a while.

They had started to pass by the comic book store and she stopped, turning to the small poster in the window. A large grin spread across her face as she read it.

"Oh yay! The new Flash and Green Lantern comics are out tomorrow! I forgot!" This took Sheldon aback. She liked comic books? He certainly didn't see that coming...

"Actually, they're comic **books **not comics. Comics are the sad little attempt at humor in the newspapers. Anyway, you like comic books?"

"Yeah! I actually have a pretty decent sized collection at home. I didn't want to move all the way out here without them."

"Then you'll be pleased to know that Wednesday is new comic book night here. You can come with us tomorrow if you're free." Interesting...she was a scientist and a fan of comic books...he'd have to ask about her collection at a later time.

"Sounds great!" She turned and gave him a large smile before turning back to look at the other posters in the window


	3. Chapter 3: Surge of Power

Chapter Three - Surge of Power

Sheldon and Kimiko rounded the corner and accidentally ran into a couple of very muscular (and very drunk) men. They began to back away when the men rounded on them.

"Hey stickboy watch it! Ohhh whats this?" The tall and leaner, of the two turned his attention to Kimiko and put his hand on the wall beside her head. Kimiko nearly gagged at his breath and it made her eyes water. His hair was long, blonde, and greasy and the other shorter, heavier set, with a red and black bandana on his head. The shorter man grabbed Sheldon by his collar (must to his repeated request to let him go.) and the blonde man laughed. Both of them were aggressive and from the looks of it, in the same gang as their worn leather jackets bore the same logo of a burning snake wrapped around a ring of knives.

"Whatcha doin' with such a pretty lil' thing poindexter? How about you come with us sweetie and we'll show ya how to really have fun..." Kimiko tried her hardest to shove him away but he grabbed her wrists and forced them above her head. Sheldon's face went red.

"Let her go! She's not interested in greasy neanderthals like you!" He struggled against the other mans grasp but it had only lead to receiving a hard punch in the stomach. He felt his breath leave him as he crumpled to the ground. A kick in the side of his face followed. He felt dizzy and his face warm from the blood seeping from his mouth and nose. He had cuts on his face from hitting the ground hard.

"Shel-mmmph!" Kimiko was terrified. The blonde man holding her down took one hand off her wrist and covered her mouth. The shorter man approached them and began unbuckling his belt. She was forced to the ground and pinned. As hard as she tried to struggle it wasn't going to do any good...until suddenly she saw something out of the corner of her eye that she didn't think was real...Sheldon had somehow managed to get back on his feet...and had picked up the shorter man, throwing him into the window of the shop beside them. Glass littered the ground and Sheldon turned towards them, the glass crunching under his feet.

Something has changed in Sheldon after he had hit the ground. A burning pain seared in his head and deep in his core, then he began to feel energy flowing through him. He felt strong...and his face didn't look the same either. His eyes had a glow of silver and the cuts on his face seemed to fade away. When he ripped the other man from Kimiko, she could have sworn for just a split second he was wearing chainmail underneath a blue and black tabbard but when she blinked he was still in his favorite Flash t-shirt and checkered pants.

Sheldon began beating on the blonde man senseless. He spoke with each angry strike. "**You. Will. Not. Touch. Her!**" When the last punch landed the man sank to the ground with nothing more than a small moan of pain before passing out. Sheldon walked over to Kimiko, who was in tears, and picked her up bridal style from the ground.

"Are you alright?" His voice was soft and kind. Through muffled sobs she nodded, afraid to move her hands from her tear streaked face to look at him. He held her like this and walked them back to their building, setting her down just outside the entrance. His hands and face twitched slightly before the glow from his eyes faded and he passed out at her feet.

"Sheldon?! Sheldon!" She pulled out her phone and quickly called Penny. She told her that Sheldon fainted at the entrance and needed help getting him upstairs. Moments later Penny, Leonard, and Raj came bursting through the door and helped her get him up the stairs and to his apartment.

Wednesday June 17th

Slowly, Sheldon's eyes opened and he rolled over with a groan. His body ached and his head felt like it would explode. Reaching for the aspirin in his nightstand drawer he noticed the clock. It was 5am and he sat up to take the medicine. It was then that he noticed that he was still dressed in the outfit he had on the previous night and he panicked. He could only remember bits and pieces of the night before and the scared look on her face as Kimiko was held down...but...his eidetic memory seemed to fail him. He couldn't remember anything after that.

Without even thinking he jumped out of bed and raced out of his room, out of the apartment, and up the flight of stairs. Jumping over every other step (he nearly tripped on the last one), into the hall, and began pounding on the door to 5A.

*Pound* *Pound* *Pound* "Kimiko!"

*Pound* *Pound* *Pound* "Kimiko!"

*Pound* *Pound* *Pound* "Kimiko!"

The door flew open moments later and standing there in her oversized Batman shirt and black yoga pants was Kimiko. Her hair up in a messy bun with stray strands hanging off her face. She looked exhausted and surprised at the same time. Rubbing her eyes she looked up at him. He could see small cuts over her face and neck.

"Sheldon? I'm so glad you're ok! I-" She was cut off mid sentence by Sheldon, who had for the moment, completely forgotten about his phobia of human contact and grabbed her. Pulling her in to his arms he hugged her so hard she thought she couldn't breathe.

"What did they do to you?! Are you alright? You're hurt!" He looked down at her and she patted his arm and he loosened his grip.

"I'm ok...its just a few cuts and bruises...you don't remember?"

"The last thing I remember is laying on the ground watching them hold you down..." His voice cracked and she took hold of his sleeve. She sighed and motioned for him to come in.

"I think you need to know something...will you come in so we can talk?"

He nodded and followed her in to her apartment. Upon switching the lights on, she sat on her couch and he sat beside her. Her eyes became teary as she told him the events about that night. Eventually as she neared the end she began crying again and he gently patted her shoulder. "There There..." He whispered.

"So...I really did that? It seems like something completely different from who I am. It's not physically possible..."

"But you did and I'm still here because of it! I was so scared Sheldon, I thought we were going to die..." She choked back another sob and rested her face in her hands. "If you hadn't stopped them I...I...how did you even manage to do that?"

Sheldon sat there for a moment and sighed. Honestly he wasn't so sure himself how it all happened, but then that voice echoed in his head again...

"_Guard her..._"

He thought that maybe that was what she meant. The woman from his dream seemed to know something more about him that he himself knew. He didn't answer Kimiko but instead he put his arm around her and let her rest her head on his shoulder.

"Do the others know? He asked. He didn't think they'd believe any of it though...

"No...I just told them that when we got back you said you didn't feel well and you passed out. I thought if I had told them the truth they would think I was crazy..."

They sat there for what seemed like forever, before he looked down and realized she had fallen asleep. He got up and set her down on the couch to sleep. He placed a blanket over her and returned downstairs to his apartment, slowly closing the door behind him. He sighed and headed back to his room, sleep ready to claim him.

Little did they know this was only the beginning...The others would each have their turn to experience something beyond any and all reasoning. Soon enough the truth will come out, and they will all be thrown in to a journey bigger than anything they could have imagined..


	4. Chapter 4: Trying to Relax

Authors note: Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to get the next couple chapters up. Decided to do some art for the story too :D I post the link to my Deviant Art page on my profile on Thursday 8/30/12 so you guys can take a look!

Chapter Four: Trying to Relax

Kimiko awoke later that morning and sat up on her couch. It took her a few minutes to gather her thoughts before getting up and making herself breakfast. She opened her refrigerator and took some eggs and milk out, then took a frying pan from the rack above the kitchen island. She hummed a little while she cooked and when she finished she sat down at a little table by her window.

Kimiko thought about the incident that occurred that night and sighed. It had to have been a dream...she wasn't going crazy was she? Shaking her head she took a bite of the scrambled eggs she made and looked out the window. The sun was shining and the sky looked clear. Maybe she'd go out for a run later. She had the day off and figured the fresh air would do her some good.

She got dressed in her favorite t-shirt (a red shirt with a black heart logo on the front) and a black pair of running shorts. She put her sneakers on and grabbed her keys and cell phone before heading out the door. As she made her way down the stairs she bumped into Penny, who was on her way back from gathering her mail in the lobby.

"Hey Kim, how are you feeling?" Penny gave her friend a smile.

"I'm alright, thought I would go out for a run and get some air. Wanna come with?"

"Sure! I don't have to work until this evening so I have some free time. Let me go and change and I'll meet you in the lobby in a sec." Penny hurried up the stairs and Kimiko headed down to the lobby.

Penny caught up to her a few minutes later and they stretched before heading out the door. They headed off towards the nearby park and Penny asked her about what had happened last night.

"So what happened? You seemed really shaken up and you had some cuts on your face...they guys didn't notice at the time since they were helping Sheldon in, so I didn't bring it up...but I'm a little worried. Is everything okay? You can tell me, we're friends..."

"Well...not really. I didn't want to say anything because I thought you guys might think I was crazy...but after I left, I met up with Sheldon and we started talking as we walked back to the apartment. We walked past the comic book store and went around the corner when we walked into these two huge guys...' She continued on about how she and Sheldon had been attacked but hesitated after. She didn't think it was a good idea to tell her what happened with Sheldon after that, so instead she told her that someone had come along and scared the guys off.

"Oh my God! You were lucky! I'm glad you guys are ok though!" Penny and Kimiko stopped at a nearby water fountain and took a break before continuing. They changed the subject and got on to talking about a new boutique that opened up near their work.

Meanwhile...

Leonard, Howard, and Raj sat in the university cafeteria and noticed that Sheldon hadn't come to lunch yet.

"Hey Raj, what's up with Sheldon? He almost never misses lunch." Howard asked as he took a bite of pasta and Raj sighed.

"I dunno, he spent the whole morning staring at his boards. I think his brain finally burned out." Raj grinned.

"I kind of panicked last night, when Kim said he wasn't feeling well I thought maybe he was getting sick. I spent most of the night listening for any signs of a cold and packing my evacuation bag." Leonard sighed and put his head down on the table. "I'm exhausted..."

"Wait, what happened anyway? Bernadette heard from Penny that you guys had to lug him up the stairs last night. Did something happen between him and Kimiko?" Howard looked confused.

"Your guess is as good as mine, she was pretty upset but didn't say much. It's kind of weird...Sheldon didn't say much on the way in today either. I think I'll go and talk to her tonight and see what I can find out."

Sheldon was still in his office, staring away at his boards. He tried hard to stay focused on his work but his head began to hurt. He couldn't shake what had happened and he felt sick thinking about it.

"_This is crazy...there's no way I could have done any of that. I'm a physicist, not a strongman! It was just a stupid dream and there is no way anything like that would ever happen. Maybe if I just ignore her this whole thing will go away. No good ever comes from associating with the neighbors and this proves it. I just need to relax and try to forget it._"

That was it. He just needed to go back to his routine and everything will go back to normal. He decided to just pretend it never happened and go back to his life. That would have to fix everything. With a look of satisfaction on his face he went back to work and was looking forward to new comic book night with the guys.

After their run, Penny and Kimiko headed back to their building with bearclaws in hand. "You were right Penny, that bakery down the street is great! I need to make a note to stop there more often." The two giggled and headed into the building.

"So you have any other plans for the day?" Penny took another bite from her snack and Kimiko smiled.

"Yeah Sheldon invited me to the comic book store with the guys tonight. I really want to pick up the new Flash and Green Lantern comics tonight." She looked at the confused look on Penny's face and laughed.

"You're into comic books?"

"Yeah! I'm kind of a closet comic book geek..." Kimiko blushed a little and smiled.

"Huh, never would have guessed!" They laughed and parted ways when they reached Penny's apartment and Kimiko took the last bit of her snack before digging her keys out of her pocket. She looked forward to seeing the guys at the comic book shop tonight and her good mood couldn't be spoiled. She got undressed and took a quick shower and changed before settling down for a late lunch.

Later that evening, she grabbed her wallet and keys and stuffed them in her pocket. She sang happily to herself as she headed down the stairs and out the door. She walked down to the shop and walked through the door. Suddenly she felt a little uncomfortable...everyone stared at her. She looked around and spotted Leonard and he waved her over.

"Hey guys! How was your day?" Kimiko smiled and they waved. Raj went silent and Howard smirked.

"Why hello there my dear. What brings you here?" Howard walked over to her and she laughed and rolled her eyes.

"I was invited by Sheldon...and I wanted to buy some of the new comic books that came out today."

"Wait...Sheldon invited you?" Leonard and Raj looked at each other in disbelief.

"I don't recall doing any such thing. I don't associate with the neighbors." Sheldon retorted without looking up from his comic book. Kimiko looked a little confused...as did the rest of the gang.

"You...you don't remember?" She asked trying to look him in the eye but he turned away.

"No I don't. I also don't like people touching me and I don't wish to socialize with a Penny clone. It just adds more headache to my day. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to pay for these and leave."

Sheldon started to walk away and the guys looked over at Kimiko. She just stood there with a hurt look on her face, trying to figure out why he had just brushed her off the way he did. She thought he was nicer than that.

"Wow...Sheldon's acting like more of an asshat than usual..." Howard turned to look at Sheldon and Leonard walked up to Kimiko.

"Um...you okay?"

She stayed silent for a minute, then Leonard watched as Kimiko's hands curled to fists and it looked like something had snapped in her mind. She had fought for so long to control her temper growing up but she just couldn't keep her cool this time. She hated it when people played around with her head and she had it. Her anger was one of the reasons she had gotten in so many fights as a kid and she got in so much trouble. It was one of her weaknesses.

Without even thinking she stormed up to Sheldon and grabbed his shoulder. Turning him around he twitched and jerked back. Looking at the rage in her eyes he took a step back and that's when it happened. She had hauled off and slapped him hard across the face.

"You...You're such a total...asshat!" Everyone looked shocked and they stared at her. Feeling everyone's glare on her she ran out of the store.

*Kimiko's P.O.V*

It wasn't until she arrived back home that she had realized what she had just done. The look on his face was a mix of panic (probably because someone had just touched him) and anger. She slammed her door behind her and leaned against it.

Great...she had just screwed up and she knew it. One of the many reasons she didn't have a lot of friends growing up. She always let her anger take over her. She spent so long trying to keep a lid on it that she sank to the floor and cried. Another of her problems was trying to be too nice to others and getting stepped on because of it.

"_Why the hell did I think it would be different this time..._"

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and stood up. She wouldn't let herself cry anymore over it. It wasn't worth it. She just wanted to go back to her life and let it go. She had to get her temper back under control...and send an apology to Sheldon later as well...

Kimiko sighed and poured a glass of water, then sat down on the couch and put the TV on. She left it on the news and curled up in a blanket. It wasn't long after that she fell asleep.

*Sheldon's P.O.V.*

Sheldon stood there as Kimiko ran out of the store. He couldn't believe she had just hit him! The sting on his face also reminded him that she had actually touched him. He thought about all the germs that were on that hand and how long he would have to scrub his face when he got home. It was then that the guys started talking to him and he snapped back to attention.

"I said are you okay Sheldon?" Raj winced at the red mark on Sheldon's face.

"Yeah man that looked like it hurt a lot..." Even Howard didn't start joking about it.

"Oh course it hurt. It normally hurts when someone hits you. My face stings and my ears are still ringing. What on Earth was her problem anyway?"

"I think you were. One minute you were nice and the next you treat her like crap, of course she's gonna slap you." Leonard sighed. "What happened between you two anyway?"

Sheldon looked at them and said nothing. He turned around paid for his comics and waited for the rest of them to finish their business. He thought that it would be better for her to be mad at him anyway. It meant she would leave him alone, then he could go back to his routine without any further disturbance.

After they left it was a quite ride back to the apartment. Sheldon kept to himself and went to his room after arriving home. He worked on his boards and laptop and later on he began his bedtime routine. After laying out his Wednesday pajamas, he showered, changed, brushed his teeth, and went to bed.


	5. Chapter 5: Second Encounter

Note: Had to remove and repost this, noticed a few minor errors and had to fix them, lol

Chapter Five: Second Encounter

Kimiko woke late that night. She glanced at her cell phone and saw that it was just after Midnight and she got up. She needed some air and a good stretch. Two nights in a row on the couch was really killing her back. She grabbed her keys and headed upstairs to the roof. She found a place to sit and looked up at the sky. A cool breeze blew by and she took a deep breath. It was relaxing. Suddenly she heard a noise behind her and she jumped. Turning around she saw Penny standing there with a bottle of alcohol and a bottle opener in her hands.

"Sorry Kims I didn't know you were out here..." Penny closed the door behind her and Kimiko chuckled.

"Its okay Penny, what beings you up here so late?"

"Needed some air and a quiet place. You?" Penny sat down next to Kimiko and opened the wine.

"Same here, found myself sleeping on my couch the last couple nights and its not so comfortable...Ooo whats that?" Kimiko pointed at the bottle in Penny's hand.

"Peppermint Schnapps. One of my favorites..." Penny took a swig and held out the bottle to Kimiko. "...Want some hun?" Kimiko nodded and took a sip as well.

"Thanks.' Kimiko smiled and they took turns drinking from the bottle.

"So I heard about what happened earlier from Leonard. I can't believe Sheldon did that. I thought you two were hitting it off pretty well..."

"Me too. Is he always weird like that?" Kimiko asked as she took another drink.

"Not like that, but like I said he is a wack-a-doodle."

The girls laughed and got on to other subjects, eventually finished off the bottle. Penny stood up and pulled Kimiko up. They tripped and giggled, trying to steady themselves. They headed for the door and Penny laughed.

"That was fun...we should do that more often!" Kimiko giggled and Penny nodded.

"Yeah, next time we should invite Bernadette and have a girls night out! Saturday sound good?"

Kimiko agreed and they headed downstairs. She got back to her apartment and went to her bedroom to go back to sleep. She often got tired after drinking a lot and she passed out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Thursday June 18th

The next day Kimiko got up and prepared for her shift at The Cheesecake Factory. She felt a bit sluggish from the drinking she did last night but she changed into her uniform, applied her makeup and headed out the door. As she descended the stairs she yawned and rubbed her eyes...and there they were...Leonard and Sheldon. They paused in an awkward silence for a moment before Leonard spoke up.

"Morning Kim."

"Hi Leonard. Hi Sheldon..." Sheldon nodded but didn't really acknowledge her fully.

"Look Sheldon...I'm really sorry about what happened yesterday. I shouldn't have done that to you."

"No you really shouldn't have. Come Leonard we're going to be late again."

"Now hold on a minute, she's trying to apologize to you. You should at least be a little more serious Sheldon."

"I am! She said sorry and I responded. There's nothing more to say." Sheldon headed down the steps and Leonard gave Kimiko a look that said 'sorry' and followed behind.

When Kimiko arrived at work she picked up her apron, clocked in and went off to wait tables. Later that afternoon Bernadette came in for her shift and noticed a familiar man at the bar. She pulled Kimiko to the side and whispered to her.

"Isn't that the man that you punched the other day? What's he doing back here?"

"I don't know, I could have sworn management banned him for harassing the waitresses...should we get someone to ask him to leave?" As she spoke the man from the bar looked over and saw her. He got up and headed straight for them. The man was well dressed. A nice dark blue suit with a gray tie, short auburn hair and for all other words, he looked like a business executive. Though it didn't make him any less of an ass.

"Hey you're the little bitch that punched me the other day. I think you owe me an apology sweetheart." He glared at Kimiko and she had a scowl on her face.

"I don't owe you anything. You're the one that grabbed me, you deserved it. Now excuse us we have work to do and you need to leave."

"Kim I don't think you should make him angry..." Bernadette whispered to Kimiko but the man reached out and grabbed Kimiko's wrist.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" She struggled to free herself but had no luck. His hand was like a vicegrip and it hurt.

"Let her go!" Bernadette tried to help pry Kimiko's hand free but was shoved backwards by the man. She landed with a thud against the wall and her glasses fell off her face. Bernadette was a little winded but she knelt down, picked up her glasses and put them back on. She instinctively marched over to the two and raised her voice. She didn't seem like the sweet soft-spoken woman she was minutes ago. She had just gone over the deep end.

"Listen to me you bastard! You let my friend go right now or I swear you'll regret it! I will break every bone in your body in seconds got it?!" The man laughed at her. He asked what a little mouse could do to him and honestly that was probably the worst question to ask...

Bernadette pulled her fist back and aimed for his chest. In an instant she threw her fist forward and right into his chest. A loud crack filled the air and his hand slipped from Kimiko's wrist. It sounded like she had broken some of his ribs. Bernadette grabbed the man's collar and suddenly it began to burn until his shirt and jacket caught fire, though the flames not large.. She hauled him through the kitchen and threw him out the door into the alley behind the restaurant. Brushing her hands together she told him to stay out and slammed the door shut.

Bernadette sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted. She couldn't seem to catch her breath at first but after sitting for a while and several glasses of water later she began to feel better. Her head still a bit fuzzy though. Kimiko came in and kneeled beside her, worried for her friend.

"Bernadette? Are you okay? That was amazing...you just wiped the floor with him..." Kimiko brought her hand up and brushed Bernadette's bangs out of her face.

"I'm ok, just really tired...Can you help me get home?" Her voice was soft and kind again and Kimiko stood up. they clocked out and Kimiko drove Bernadette home, then took the bus back to her apartment.

"_What a day...first Sheldon now Bernadette...this is insane..._" Kimiko trudged up the stairs and as she reached the fourth floor Penny's door flew open.

"You need to see this!" She yanked Kimiko into her apartment and handed her a laptop. "Someone took a video of you and Bernadette! She kicked some guy's ass! Is she okay?!"

"Oh my God...We're so fired...but yea...she's alright. I drove her home a little while ago..." She sighed and it took Penny some time to calm down.

"I'm pretty sure the guys have seen this too...whats going on Kims?" Penny became serious, and Kimiko lowered her head.

"I need to tell you something..." She looked at Penny and sighed. "You know how I told you about what happened the other night with Sheldon? Well the truth is..." She explained what really happened and Penny just sat there, mouth hung open.

"Penny, please believe me...something weird is happening and I'm scared. It's affecting the people around me and I dont know whats going on. Sheldon went Superman on those guys and Bernadette broke someones ribs and set him on fire...and it all happened while they were trying to protect me."

"Holy crap on a cracker...this is too weird. I don't know if I can handle this..."

"I'm sorry Penny. I understand though...I'm going upstairs to my apartment. I need to get some sleep." Kimiko stood up and Penny jumped up after her.

"Wait a second!" Penny grabbed Kimiko's right wrist and she winced. Penny saw the look on her face and looked down at her wrist. It was already heavily bruised from the man grabbing her. "Aw sweetie...that guy did a number on your arm. I'm so sorry." Penny held Kimiko's wrist in one hand and spaced out for a moment. She brought her other hand up and rested it on Kimiko's injury. She ran her fingers along it and slowly the bruise began to fade away.

Kimiko's eyes widened and she looked at Penny in shock. "Penny? Penny how did you do that?" Penny didn't appear to be hearing Kimiko so she raised her voice a little. "PENNY!"

"Huh? Wha?" Penny came too and looked at Kimiko's wrist. She looked amazed and made her turn her wrist over but saw nothing. "What happened?! It's gone!"

"Because you made it that way...I don't know how you did it but you healed it...that's amazing." She smiled and Penny started to freak out.

"Oh My God, is this like some freaky super power thingy? I don't even remember doing it! I healed you though, that's so cool but still freaky! Should we tell the guys? Should we not tell them? I don't know what to do. What do we do?"

"I'm not sure...I think we should wait first. I don't think they'd handle it well...I mean look at Sheldon, he shunned me! I don't want to lose you and Bernadette too. You're the only friends I really have here...but I don't want you guys getting hurt because of me either." Kimiko's eyes teared up and Penny hugged her.

"We're not going anywhere. We'll figure this out." Penny's words made Kimiko smile. It made her feel a lot better to know there were people willing to stand by her in this mess. She hoped things would get better from here.

"Kims, if the guys have seen the video then we may have to tell them. Don't worry about Dr. Wack-a-doodle, I'll set 'em straight, even if it means going Nebraska on his ass." Penny laughed a little and Kimiko said her goodbyes. She went back up to her apartment and changed into her yoga pants and a Green Lantern t-shirt before flopping down on the couch. Things are getting weirder and weirder...She just wanted things to be sorted out. Her brain felt like it was going to explode.

"_What's going to happen now? If Sheldon, Bernadette, and Penny all had something weird happen to them what about the others? I can't wrap my head around this..._" She sighed and got up to get some orange juice from the refrigerator. She had a feeling this wasn't over just yet...

Later that night after Leonard and Sheldon got home, Leonard got a text from Howard that supplied a Youtube link and a message reading 'Something happened at Bernie's work. SEE THIS.'

"_Huh...wonder what's going on..._" Leonard opened his laptop and entered the link to the video. While he watched it his jaw dropped. He sat there in shock and yelled for Sheldon.

"Oh man...hey Sheldon! You have to see this! Right now!"

Sheldon came down the hall a bit annoyed. "What is it Leonard? I was just about to get ready to go to...oh my..." Sheldon's eyes rested on the screen and he gulped. There was no way to avoid it now. So much for getting back to his routine...

"Leonard I think there's something you need to know...


	6. Chapter 6: Secrets Out

Author's note: Hey guys! Got a couple pieces of art done for the fic! Check out my Deviant Art page, the link is in my profile! I'll be working on more drawings later on too so I'll keep you posted!

FYI: A lot happens in this chapter, so its a long one! I wont be able to go online much this weekend so I wanted to leave you guys with a good jump in the story progression. I'll keep a notebook on me and try to get another chapter written for next week. :D

Chapter Six - The Secrets Out

"So wait a minute, let me get this straight...you did **what**?!" Leonard stared at Sheldon in disbelief. After hearing about the events that occurred with Kimiko and now seeing what Bernadette had done he thought he had gone mad.

"I don't believe this...so it all happened when Kim moved in upstairs?"

"Apparently so. I had been having some very odd dreams lately that led me to believe that I was supposed to look after her until she herself 'awakened' to something. Strangely enough she's been affecting everyone around her and now after watching Bernadette I can say for sure that it's only the beginning. I wonder how long before something else happens..." Sheldon was sitting in his spot on the couch and drinking tea when there was a knock on the door.

Leonard got up and opened it, standing there was Raj and Howard. Leonard invited them in and they sat in the living room. Several minutes passed as they sat there in silence, trying to figure out what to do now that their lives were thrown into an all new level of weird.

"So...do we just keep her around then?" Raj asked as he stared off into space.

"I should think so. I made a promise to look after her, so I don't think there's much of a choice on the matter..."

"Who knows, maybe we'll get super powers too. That's kind of badass." Howard smirked and Leonard shook his head.

"So what happens after she 'awakes'?"

"I believe the woman from my dream said she would lead us to a gate, and on to her realm or something like that..." Sheldon sighed and looked around at the others. "That's all I know."

"How's Bernadette?" Raj asked.

"She's doing alright, just really tired. She went to bed as soon as she got home and she's still resting." Howard looked worried. "I'm not really sure I want Bernie around Kimiko to be honest..."

"Well, I think I'm going to bed. My sleep schedule has been interrupted enough already. Goodnight." Sheldon got up and headed for his room. He needed peace and quiet.

Thursday, June 18th

Kimiko awoke the next morning to the ringing of her cell phone. It was her boss...she knew this was coming. Surely enough she had just been fired.

"_Great...just what I needed today...least now I can sleep in a little..._" Hanging up the phone she sighed and set it back down on her nightstand. Just as she was about to drift off to sleep she was startled by the sound of knocking on her apartment door.

"Oh for crying out loud..." She groaned and rolled out of bed. She went to the door and opened it, seeing Penny standing there.

"Hey Penny, what's up?" Kimiko rubbed her eyes and invited her in.

"I came to see how you're doing...I could hear Leonard yelling at Sheldon last night so I'm pretty sure they know." She watched as Kimiko sat on her couch and put her face in her hands.

"So obviously he didn't take it well...oh, and I got fired today too..."

"Yikes...I'm sorry..."

"Me too. I guess we should pay Leonard and Sheldon a visit after they get back from work then."

"No, I think we should go see them right now. Go get dressed, I'll meet you outside." Penny grinned and left the apartment. With a confused look on her face Kimiko got up and hurried to get changed. She left her Green Lantern shirt on and threw on a pair of jeans and her sneakers. Grabbing her wallet and keys she headed out the door and down to the parking area where she saw Penny standing by her car.

They drove over to the university and split up.

"I'll find Leonard, Kims, you go get Sheldon."

"Okay." Kimiko stopped over at the front desk and asked where Sheldon Coopers office was and Penny headed for the labs. Kimiko wandered down the halls of the physics department until she came across Sheldon's office. She stood there for a moment wondering if it was really a good idea being there. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Come in." She heard Sheldon's voice on the other side of the door and she opened it. He was facing his boards and she closed the door behind her.

"Sheldon?" Kimiko said quietly and Sheldon froze. He slowly turned around and looked at her. He wasn't sure what to say to her so he remained quiet. After a few moments of awkward silence she spoke first.

"Sheldon...I know that you found out about what happened at The Cheesecake Factory yesterday...and I need you to hear me out...please. Just for a minute." She watched as Sheldon nodded and sat in his desk chair.

"I'm scared. I don't know what's happening to the people around me...it just...it just seems like these things are happening because you guys were trying to protect me. I don't know why but I feel like there's a reason for it. First you, then Bernadette, now Penny..."

"Wait, Penny?" Sheldon looked confused.

"Yeah, when I got home yesterday she pulled me into her apartment to show me the video she found about Bernadette and I and she saw that my wrist had gotten bruised pretty badly from that guy...and she ended up healing it. She sorta spaced out when it happened and she didn't remember doing it. Kinda like what happened with you. I don't know what's going to happen now. I don't want any more of you guys getting hurt or worse because of me. I've already been fired too..." She took a breath and continued.

"I'm just as much in the dark as you guys are about this..." She saw Sheldon put his hand up as a sign for her to be quiet and he spoke.

"Actually...I believe I know a bit more than you do and I think I should explain things a little more clearly. Please sit." Kimiko sat down in another chair and listened as he told her about the dreams he had been having. She looked at him in shock and wondered why he didn't say something to her earlier...

"So you're saying you're supposed to be some kind of chaperone?" She finally asked as he finished speaking his piece.

"Along those lines yes, but who knows how long it will be before you do whatever is is you're supposed to do. This has really been a pain in my side. I worked so hard to keep my life in some kind of order and you just came along and threw all of my routines out the window."

"You really think I wanted this?! I didn't plan this Sheldon!" She yelled at him and slammed her fist down on his desk, making him jump. "I don't want this! I'm ruining people's lives and I don't understand any of it!" Tears streamed down her face as she fell back into her chair. Kimiko sat there crying and she wanted to be done with all of it.

Feeling slightly guilty that he upset her, Sheldon got up and walked over to her. "There there." he said as he reached down to pat her shoulder. As his hand touched her shoulder he suddenly had a sharp pain in his head again. Images flashed through his mind and he jerked back. He saw it...he saw the gateway. It was a brilliant archway with silver gates between two stone pillars that resembled the woman from his dream on one side and the other a man he had never seen before. Each side holding a massive lantern in one hand and part of the gate's doorway on the other. The next image was the sky above it. Stars filled the sky and was lit with swirls of colors unlike anything he had ever seen before. The last was Kimiko...standing in front of the gate reaching up to the handles on the gate's doors.

Suddenly he snapped back to reality and shook his head. Nearly tripping on himself he leaned against his desk for support. Kimiko jumped out of her seat and helped Sheldon sit.

"Sheldon?! Are you alright? What just happened? You looked like you seized for a minute!"

"I'm fine. Just don't touch me. Get out of my office I have to get back to work."

"But Sheldon..."

"NOW!" She jumped as he barked at her and she left his office in a hurry. He sat there resting his face in his hands and took a deep breath.

"_This has to stop...I don't know if I can take much more of this..._"

Kimiko hurried out of the building and met Penny back at the car. Penny asked how things went, saying that her talk with Leonard seemed to help a little. Kimiko didn't say anything and just wanted to go home.

Later that night Penny invited Kimiko and Bernadette over and they could hear the guys next door playing some kind of video game. "Are they always that loud?" Kimiko asked as Penny poured wine into glasses for them. Bernadette had felt much better after resting for nearly an entire day.

"Yeah but only because its Halo night. You should see them play sometime it's a riot. They're so absorbed in it I bet they wouldn't even notice if I flashed them...not that I would, but you get what I'm saying right?" Penny grinned.

Kimiko laughed and the three started to drink. Kimiko's spirits were lifted a bit and after they had finished their first glass they each poured another and it was then that an earsplitting ringing filled the building.

"What's happening?!" Kimiko covered her ears and Penny shouted, "I think that's the building's fire alarm!"

"We need to leave!" Bernadette yelled and grabbed her purse while Kimiko checked her pockets for her wallet and keys and Penny grabbed hers from the coffee table. As they ran out into the hall they ran into Raj, Sheldon, Howard and Leonard.

"Are you guys okay?! Come on we have to get out!" Leonard yelled as they made their way for the stairs leading to the lobby. Unfortunatly the third floor was engulfed in flames and they couldn't go any further.

"Up! Go up to the roof! Leonard and the guys pushed the girls ahead of them and they ran for the roof. They bolted out the door and shut it behind them.

"Oh God what do we do now?!" Penny cried and saw Leonard on the phone with 911. After he got off the phone he said that the fire department was on their way. Leonard held Penny and Howard grabbed on to Bernadette. The building shook and they could hear screams from the people down below. It felt like the floor below them was falling apart. Suddenly they heard the door to the roof rattle and a boom filled the air. A small explosion caused the door to come flying off its hinges and it hurtled towards Bernadette and Howard.

Before she even realized she was moving Kimiko had bolted full hilt at them and shoved them away at the last second. The door stuck her with enough force to knock her off her feet and towards the nearby edge. She had fallen backwards off the edge of the roof and tried desperately to grab at it as she fell.

"Kim!" Bernadette screamed and Raj's hand shot out to try and grab her arm, just barely able to keep a grip he half hung over the side of the roof. His other hand gripping the edge. He could feel her slipping and he yelled out for the others to help him. Leonard and Sheldon raced over to help and yelled for her to give them her other hand.

She cried and stretched her other arm up as far as she could. Sheldon managed to grab hold of her arm and pulled. As they tried to pull her up the building shook again. They could hear sirens in the distance and they held on as long as they could. Something in Sheldon had snapped again and this time he was aware of the changes. He had his strength back. Just as he had it when he fought off the attackers, and he pulled Kimiko up on his own, allowing Raj to steady himself better. He watched in amazement as Sheldon set her down on the rooftop and she collapsed to her knees in tears.

The fire department had arrived and sent the ladders up, getting all of them off the roof. They were sent over to the ambulances to be checked for injury, and the watched as the firefighters put out the flames. Kimiko had several cuts, bruises, and a slight concussion from being hit with the door and everyone else seemed to be alright, just shaken. Penny and Bernadette sat with Kimiko, hugging her and the three of them cried. It all seemed surreal. Leonard, Sheldon, Penny and Kimiko had just lost their home along with the many other tenants in the building. Sheldon had insured their apartment so while it would be easy for them to replace what was lost, it wasn't the same for Penny or Kimiko.

When the fire had finally been put out, the fire department would not allow them in, as the building had been badly damaged and was deemed unsafe. Thankfully everyone had their wallets at least so they could go out and get what they needed later. Bernadette invited Penny and Kimiko to stay at her apartment and Raj offered to take in Sheldon and Leonard. Sheldon walked over to Kimiko and asked to speak to her alone and Penny and Bernadette went over to the others.

"Kimiko, are you alright?" She nodded and he sat down beside her.

"To be honest I was terrified. I thought you were going to die...and before I knew it I just hauled you up on my own...either it was that power again or an adrenaline rush, but either way I'm glad you're alright. I wanted to...um...apologize for yelling at you today, and I think I need to be a little more serious about looking after you like I promised. Mind you I'll have to write up an agreement contract and whatnot but we can work out the details at a later time."

Kimiko wiped her eyes and said nothing. She was so tired. She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder and he flinched. He wasn't used to coming in contact with people like that but instead of moving away he let it go for now, considering what had just happened. Then ne remembered that people with concussions shouldn't be allowed to go to sleep right off and he shook her awake.

"Don't sleep yet! You've got a concussion and the last thing anyone wants is for you to die in your sleep!" He scolded.

Kimiko gave a small smile and sat upright. They got up and walked over to the gang. Softly she said "Thanks Sheldon." and they rejoined the others. They just stood there for a while. They were all together and safe, that's what mattered right then.

When they were ready to leave, they made their way to the parking area and Kimiko stopped. She seemed out of it, staring off into space.

"Kims?" Penny looked over at her and Kimiko didn't answer. "Guys...I think shes broken..." Penny and the others stared at her and suddenly Kimiko began to speak. Her voice sounded different than normal, almost drone like, and she seemed to be in a trance like state. Her eyes began to glow and the light on the ground became brighter.

"The time has come for the road to be followed...the pathway shall open and the wolds will merge..." Suddenly the ground below them glowed softly and they started to panic. "Let the fates of the chosen come together and open the road to the sacred gate of the lost kingdom!"

The ground shook beneath their feet and the world around them began to fade. The light washed over them and the ground broke beneath them. They could feel themselves being lifted and after that they felt like they were losing consciousness...

Sheldon was the first to come to. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to get them to focus. He first thought that maybe it was all one horrible dream...until he looked around and saw where he was.

"Leonard! Raj! Howard! Penny! Bernadette! Wake up!" He yelled to his friends and they began to stir. They looked at their surroundings and quietly sat there in shock.

"Where are we? This place...its beautiful..." Bernadette looked up at the sky and watched as the swirling colors changed.

"I do not know...I've never seen anything like this in my entire life..."Raj spoke and the others looked at him. "What?"

"Raj you're talking in front of the girls..."Howard said as he looked around.

Raj seemed surprised, but pleased. "I am! How about that I don't even need booze!"

"Leonard? Where's Kimiko?" Penny looked around but didn't see her.

"I don't know...She was with us earlier...wait...she made this happen! Did she just ditch us here?!"

"No..." Sheldon looked over at the gateway and pointed. "Look..."

Standing there in front of the gate was Kimiko. She wasn't dressed in her normal clothes...but a beautiful red dress with black trim along the bottom of the skirt. It was a halter styled, knee length, empire dress that flowed around her gracefully as she moved closer to the gate.

"Wow she looks so pretty...I need to get a dress like that." Penny said as she and the others stood up. They approached Kimiko and she spoke without looking at them.

"This place...I remember it..but just barely. Someone carried me through here. I remember fire, and people screaming but...most of all I remember them...she pointed to the stone pillars. That woman is my mother and that man is my father. There was a war...they sent me away with one of the knights to smuggle me out. We made it to the gate and that's all I remember..." She reached up and rested her hand on the handle of the gate and on her touch it opened.

"I'm going through...are you guys coming with me?" She asked gently and the others agreed. As they passed through the gates everything went dark for a moment, like entering a tunnel. Eventually they reached the end and they stepped into the sunlight. They shielded their eyes, waiting for their sight to adjust and then they looked around them. They were at a forests edge, and the walked towards the top of a nearby hill. As they looked over the horizon they were amazed at what they saw.

Beautiful trees and grasslands stretched out as far as the eye could see. To the east there was a large river and crop fields, to the west were the mountains, and in the south where they had come from a massive forest area, and to the north they could see a large village and castle. Some of it looked a lot like the English countryside and they looked at each other.

"What is this place?" Leonard asked.

"My homeland...Myridius..."

"We should head for that village. I don't know about you guys but I'm starving."

"Howie, how can you think of food at a time like this?"

"I agree with Howard actually. It makes more sense to try and find food and shelter."

"Sheldon, if we're stuck in a mid-evil like place are you sure you can handle it? You're a total germaphob..."

"I'll have you know Leonard, this is an interesting opportunity to explore. I think I can try stepping out of my comfort zone to adapt to the civilization here. It might just be fun."

"Sweet, this will be just like a renaissance fair, but real!" Raj sounded happy.

"Kims, what do you want to do?" Penny walked up to Kimiko and then to the others.

"I think our best bet is to go to the village. It looks like we can make it there in a few hours if we move quickly. It looks like its still early enough in the day."

And so the gang headed out towards the village, wondering what they'll find when they arrive. Kimiko wondered about the castle that was there, hoping she would find some connection to her past and answers to the many questions she had. This place seemed peaceful now but would that peace really last


	7. Chapter 7: The First Night in Myridius

Chapter Seven: The First Night in Myridius

By the time the gang had reached the edge of the village the sun had begun to set. The sky was tinted a pale orange and pink as the sun settled behind the mountains. The air began to chill and the silence of their surroundings remained unchanged. They approached the entrance of the village and continued onward, looking at the buildings as they passed. Each of them searched carefully for any sign of an inn or someplace they could take shelter for the night. The cobblestone road branched off down several alleyways and the main stretch continued on towards the castle in the distance.

Oddly enough, the villagers were scarce. The few they passed spoke in hushed whispers and pointed at them. It made everyone a little uncomfortable, but they were reminded of the fact that they must have looked strange to the villagers. Being dressed in their normal clothes certainly made them stand out. It wasn't long before Raj spotted the in and the group headed for the entrance. Opening the door, Leonard poked his head in and looked around then waved the others in. The main floor of the in looked like it also served as a pub, but there was no one at the counter.

"Hello? Is anyone there? We're looking for a place to stay for the night..." Leonard called out but there was no response. He did it again but the result was the same.

"This place looks like it's empty...I thought a village this size would have more people, but we've only come across a little less than a dozen..." Leonard paused and looked at Sheldon, Raj, and Howard.

"We should split up and take a look around. See if we can find someone to help us."

"Leonard, should we shouldn't leave the girls here by themselves, lets divide into groups. It would be much safer that way." Sheldon piped up and the others nodded in agreement. They divided into three groups. Leonard, Penny, and Raj were the first group. Howard and Bernadette in another, and Sheldon and Kimiko in the third. There were lit lanterns spread around the inn so they figured there must be someone around there somewhere. Each group took a lantern and Leonard, Raj, and Penny went downstairs to check the cellar, Howard and Bernadette began searching the main floor rooms, and Sheldon and Kimiko proceeded upstairs.

The cellar was huge, and split off into several sections. Most of the shelves held bottles of alcohol, linens and other housekeeping odds and ends. As Leonard's group explored further they found large barrels stacked together in another section and old washtubs and presses for laundry in another. Rounding another corner Penny jumped in fright and let out a small shriek.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?!" Raj said as he and Leonard raced over to her. To their relief, she had only been startled by some dead mice that she had nearly stepped on.

"I'm okay...just a little freaked out. Being down here gives me creeps..." Penny sighed and they finished their sweep of the cellar, finding nothing of interest.

Howard and Bernadette walked the halls of the main floor and started opening each of the doors. They found several empty bedrooms and closets with linens and blankets, but still no people. When they reached the end of the hall there was a room with a small sign posted on the door: 'Office. Employees Only' and they opened it. They had finally found a person there...and ended up startling her. She dropped an arm full of parchment paper and when she saw Howard and Bernadette she sighed.

The woman was fairly pretty. She was about five feet tall, had tanned skin and dark ginger hair tied back into a braid. Her eyes were a bright blue and her face freckled. She gave them a stern look and spoke.

"Oh! Ye two gave me a fright! Haven't ye heard of knockin'?" She took a deep breath and Bernadette apologized.

"We're really sorry, we called out but no one replied, so we split up to find out of there was anyone here. We and our friends need a place to stay for the night...I hope we're not troubling you..."

"No, no problem, How many are in your party luv?"

"There's seven of us, three women and four men. Thank you by the way." Bernadette and Howard followed the woman out to the main area just as Leonard, Raj, and Penny had made their way back.

"I thought you said there were seven of ye..." The woman looked at them and Howard explained that Sheldon and Kimiko we're probably still upstairs, and told her they had been traveling all day. She nodded and told them that the inn had been empty for a long time. She didn't get many guests so they were welcome to each choose a room upstairs. She introduced herself as Mara and that she would start on making them something to eat while they went and got themselves settled.

"Let me know if ye need anythin'. Oh, and I'll have a meal ready for ye all in a few hours so I'll come up and getcha when it's ready."

The five of them headed upstairs and found Sheldon and Kimiko. Leonard explained what happened and they went off to find their rooms. Leonard and Penny took one room while Howard and Bernadette took the one across from them. Sheldon took the room next to Howard and Kimiko too the one across from it next to Leonard's room. Raj had taken a large room at the end of the hall and they all settled in.

Kimiko laid down on her bed. It was surprisingly comfortable and clean. She stared at the ceiling and sighed. She hadn't realized until now how tired she was and quickly drifted off to sleep.

Sheldon poked around his room, inspecting everything to make sure it was liveable. He shuddered at the thought of sleeping in a strange bed but found it cleaner than he expected. Cautiously he sat down and found it acceptable. He figured he would have to get used to it, as he didn't know how long they would all be there...

Leonard and the others all had the same idea, that a nap was definitely in order and soon enough everyone was asleep except for Sheldon. He just sat on his bed and tried to go over the event's of the last couple of days again in his mind. He was too worked up to really sleep, so he decided to just try and relax.

A few hours later Mara headed upstairs and knocked on each of their doors to let them know that their dinner was ready. As they trudged sleepily down the stairs the aroma from the meal hit them. The food smelled amazing, and looking at the large table that was prepared for them they were pretty happy. She had prepared a roasted chicken, boiled potatoes and carrots, and a pitcher of ale.

"Wow this looks so good, I'm starving!" Penny grinned as she poured herself some of the ale and Leonard picked up a knife to slice off bits of the chicken for everyone.

"Mara must be a really good cook, I can't wait to start eating." Raj looked over at the little window behind the bar as Mara went about her business in the kitchen. He watched her for a moment before Howard brought his attention back to the table.

"What are you looking at Raj?" Howard asked and Raj went a little red. "Ah...I get it, you like the barmaid don't you?" He shot Raj a sly grin and Raj turned his head away. The others laughed and they started in on their meal. Kimiko stared down at her plate, still tired, and slowly ate. She knew she'd sleep well later and listed as the others talked about what to do next.

"We should stay here for the night, maybe explore the village in the morning." Bernadette spoke up and then continued. "I am curious about the castle though, I'd like to go see it. Wouldn't you Kim?'

"Huh?" She lifted her head and looked at Bernadette. "Oh...Yes I do want to see it too..."

"Are you feeling alright Kimiko? You look a little washed out. Perhaps I should ask Mara to bring you a hot beverage...tea maybe." He looked a little concerned, and started to get up when she gently grabbed his sleeve.

"Its okay Sheldon, I'm just a little tired. Nothing a good night's sleep wont fix. You should sit down and eat." She gave him a small smile and he nodded. Glancing out the window she noticed that it had started to rain. She disliked the rain, mostly because she was terrified of thunder and lightning. She hoped it wouldn't keep her up all night.

Mara had gone over to them a little later on to ask how the food was. They all gave their compliments and Sheldon spoke up after.

"Mara, what can you tell us about that castle down the road?" She looked at him with a saddened look on her face.

"That place has been abandoned fer years...ever since the war. The king and queen died in the attack but their daughter went missing. No one knew what happened to her. Some say she died too, others say she managed to escape and may be living somewhere in another village...Best keep away from there though. All of the ways into the castle have been sealed off as far as I know so thankfully no ones tried to empty the place out. Ye could ask Orion though...he's the local blacksmith and used to be one of the king's knights. Might know more about the place then I do...I'll tell ye he's not an easy person to talk to but he's got a soft spot for the lasses. Never could say no to a pretty face that one..." She trailed off for a moment before excusing herself.

"So that's it then, guess we go see this Orion guy in the morning and talk to him." Howard said and the others agreed.

After dinner, they all decided to turn in for the night. Each of them going back to their rooms they said their good-nights and thanked Mara for the meal on their way up. Kimiko jumped at the sound of the thunder outside and Sheldon gave her a funny look before going into his room.

"_Odd...I wonder what's got her so jumpy..._" He thought as he settled down on his bed. Another crash of thunder echoed through the sky and it was after that, that he thought he heard someone crying. Getting up he poked his head out the door and listened again.

"_It sounds like its coming from Kimiko's room...I should see if she's alright..._"

Sheldon crossed the hall and gently tapped on her door.

*tap* *tap* *tap* "Kimiko?"

*tap* *tap* *tap* "Kimiko?"

*tap* *tap* *tap* "Kimiko?"

No answer...Perhaps she didn't hear him. They crying was definitely coming from her room though. He wondered if maybe she was hurt, so without giving it another thought he opened the door and went inside. Closing the door behind him he looked at the empty bed and his eyes trailed over to the far corner of the room. Kimiko had cocooned herself in her blanket and huddled in the corner trying to block out the noise from the storm outside. Another roar of thunder made her jump and she sat there shaking, tears streaming down her face.

"Kimiko...are you...are you ceraunophobic?" He asked as he knelt down beside her.

"Wha...what?" She sniffled and tried to wipe her eyes with the blanket, then looked at him in confusion.

"Ceraunophobic. It's the fear of thunder. Judging by the way you act every time you hear it I'd have to say that you are..." As he finished the thunder boomed again and Kimiko retreated into her blanket.

"Why...are you...in here...Sheldon?" Her muffled voiced choked out between sobs.

"Well I'm supposed to be looking after you. I wouldn't be doing my job if I hadn't come in here to check on you. I'm glad I did though you really shouldn't be on the floor..." He reached for the blanket and pulled it off her. He didn't like seeing her upset and he didn't want to leave her to sit through the storm alone, so he sat down beside her and wrapped the blanket around the both of them, pulling her closer to him.

"I'll stay here until the storm passes. I don't think I was going to sleep tonight anyway, and I don't think you should be alone..." He sighed and the thunder hit again and without thinking she bolted towards Sheldon, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face into his chest. It had almost knocked him over and she continued to cry as she clung to him. She knew he didn't like to be touched, but she was so scared. She didn't want him to leave.

Sheldon sighed again and leaned against the wall. It wasn't very comfortable, but he wasn't about to complain. After some hours later, the storm began to pass and the thunder had gone. Kimiko had cried herself to sleep a little before then and he looked down at her. He had several thoughts going through his head and he began to experience mixed feelings. While this girl had been the cause of so much trouble and irritation to him, deep down he knew that all of those issues were never really her fault. He was annoyed by her but intrigued. Suddenly came to the realization that he may actually have feelings for her...as absurd as it sounded to him. He thought relationships were mere distractions and felt no need to really be in one but every time he looked at her he felt knots in his stomach, his palms sweat, and his mouth felt dry...

He remembered what his Meemaw had told him not long after his breakup with Amy, that there was someone out there for everyone. Even him. Maybe she just hadn't come around yet, but like every human being he'd know it when she did...and the more he thought about it the more his Meemaw had been right. If only she had known that the girl wasn't like anyone else...she wasn't even from his own world for crying out loud...and maybe that's what he needed. Someone completely different from everyone else...

Sheldon decided to get up and lifted Kimiko off the floor. He thought she'd be better off in her own bed and he gently set her down. but as he got up he felt a pull on his sleeve, still asleep she had a grip on his shirt. Sighing, he sat down on the edge of her bed and tried to gently pull his shirt from her grip, but as he did she spoke softly in her sleep. "Don't...go..."

Seeing that he wasn't going to get his shirt free any time soon he laid down beside her and she rolled over to rest her head on his arm. Her grip still on his sleeve. Laying down Sheldon realized just how tired he was, and within moments he fell asleep..


	8. Chapter 8: The War Worn Blacksmith

Chapter Eight: The War Worn Blacksmith

Kimiko woke very early the next morning, feeling an arm draped around her hips. She turned her self far enough to see that it was Sheldon beside her. Half asleep she let out a small sigh of relief that it was him and not a total stranger, and it seemed to ease her mind as she laid her head back down on his arm that was stretched out under he head. Sensing her movement, Sheldon tightened his grip and pulled her closer to him. He didn't want to get up yet, he was still exhausted, but after a few minutes Kimiko slid out from under his arm and sat up.

It took her a few minutes to remember why he was there in the first place, then she remembered what had happened the night before. She felt embarrassed that he had seen her so terrified like that, but at the same time she was happy that someone had finally been there for her to help her feel less afraid. He had stayed with her the whole night. She sat on the edge of the bed and heard Sheldon begin to stir.

"What time is it?" he mumbled as he sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"I don't know, hopefully not too early..." She yawned and stood up to stretch and straighten out her dress, it was pretty wrinkled and she sighed as her attempt to lessen them were hopeless. Sheldon rolled out of bed and stopped to look at the watch around his wrist. Unfortunately, it was non functional. They decided to leave the room and wake the others, as they needed an early start if they were going to go and find the blacksmith Mara spoke of.

After the others had been awakened, they all made their way downstairs where Mara had just finished setting out some loaves of bread, jam, and assorted fruits for their breakfast.

"Oh good mornin' to ye! I was just about to come get ye! Its only an hour past dawn, about six in the mornin' according to the town clock. You'll want to eat quickly if you want to meet up with Orion. He opens his shop early in the mornin' and closes it in the afternoon. Go on then eat up!" She smiled and Raj thanked her for the meal. She nodded to him and he turned a light shade of red and smiled.

After the gang had their fill they let Mara know they'd be back in a few hours and she pointed them in the direction of Orion's shop. When they reached it, they noticed black smoke coming from one of the smoke stacks and the sound of a hammer banging against metal. Looking at each other they spent a few minutes arguing about who would go in and talk to him. It was Kimiko, Sheldon and Leonard that agreed to go in.

A little bell tied above the door rang as they entered and Orion called out to them.

"Give me a few minutes, I'll be with you shortly!"

While they waited they looked around the main end of the shop. It looked like a small armory, with swords, shields, and various other weapons and bits of armor scattered amongst the room. Kimiko had wandered towards the far corner looking at a suit of armor on display. It carried a large kite shield on one hand and a standard broadsword in the other. The shield was a light blue with large black stripes that lay horizontal and vertical through the center of the shield dividing it into four sections. In each section there was one golden cross. It was a beautiful shield and it felt very familiar to her, like she had seen it somewhere before...

Orion stepped out through the other door across the shop and looked at the three. He looked to be in his mid to late fifties, his black hair streaked with gray and his short beard the same. He stood tall, about six and a half feet tall and was very muscular. He had a large scar that crossed from one side of his face across his nose and on to the other side. His arms and most likely the rest of him, were also covered in scars. His dark orange-yellow eyes studied them for a moment and he found their clothes odd...their presence in his shop odder. He had honestly thought for a moment that they were in the wrong place and spoke up.

"What brings you here to my armory? Are you looking for something special? I don't think I have anything that would fit you shortie," He looked at Leonard briefly. "But I may have something for your tall friend..."

"Actually we're here to talk to you about the castle and the war..." Leonard said and Orion rounded on him.

"What did you say? No one has spoke about either for years and I plan to keep it that way. I won't discuss it with you strangers...You'll get nothing from me." His eyes narrowed at them as he continued. "If you know what's best for you, you'll leave this place at once before I throw you out." He waved the hammer in his hand in front of Leonard's face and turned to walk away.

Kimiko turned away from the armor she was looking at and approached Orion, who had turned away and was about to walk out.

"Is there really nothing you can tell us? We came so far just to find out what happened..." Her voice was soft and Orion stopped. Turning, he looked over at her, dropping his hammer and standing there gawking for a moment before he regained his composure.

"I don't believe it. My eyes must be deceiving me..." He slowly approached Kimiko and looked her in the eyes.

"It can't be you...no...you look so much like her but you can't be..."

"I...I'm sorry?" She took a few steps back with a puzzled look on her face.

"You look like the little child I carried out of here all those years ago...but you can't be her. When we reached the gateway..."

"...You were about to carry me through but someone attacked you and we were separated. I...I remember that..." Kimiko had a blank stare on her face as the images flooded her mind. She began remembering bits and pieces of her old life and it made her head hurt. "I thought you died...I tried to run away but fell through the gate and then..."

"...You were lost to us. I didn't know what world you ended up in so I was unable to search for you. By the time I had awoke and gotten back to the castle they were all dead...I am so sorry. I buried your parents, and the other villagers that survived helped me to lay the other dead to rest. Most of the survivors left to other villages, and few remained here with the hope that you were still alive and would find your way back to us." He snatched her up and hugged her, lifting her off the ground. Once he had set her down he laughed.

"I may have been a knight but your father saw to it that I was also your caretaker. As a child you were so full of energy, took everything I had to keep up with you. It's good to see you've returned. Now then, who are these two? Friends of yours?" He shot stern looks at Leonard and Sheldon who stood there in shock that this frightening looking giant of a man was actually nice.

"Yes...these are my friends Leonard..." Leonard raised his hand. "And Sheldon." Sheldon nodded and Kimiko continued. "I have four other friends waiting outside too...'

"Ah well bring them in and come down the hall. I'll fix you all some tea." Orion disappeared down the hall and Kimiko opened the shop door, waving the others in. Sheldon explained to them what had happened and they all followed Kimiko down the hallway to the large dining room in the back. Orion greeted them and they sat around the large table. There were cups set out for them and Orion brought out a large pot of black tea.

"So who are these other friends of yours dear?" Orion poured tea for everyone and Kimiko pointed from left to right.

"This is Bernadette, Howard, Raj and Penny." They all nodded to Orion and he looked at them all for a moment.

"You know, you all remind me of the children Kimiko played with at the castle...impossible that you are though, but I can see similarities in your looks. The two girls she knew were twins of the king's head mage and his wife was a nurse...Heh, one of the girls was always setting fire to something on accident and the other was always bandaging her up afterwards. The four boys were sons of the sons of the castle's librarian and her husband was a fellow knight and good friend. The oldest of the boys was only a year older than you and I remember you were rather fond of him...you two were inseparable, even when he had his nose in a book...I don't know if the kids survived the attack though...it all happened so fast. I guess I have a lot to tell you all."

They all looked at each other then back at Orion with interest. Kimiko took a sip of the tea and listened.

"This kingdom was a peaceful place. Your parents were good leaders, kind and strong. They were loved by all who lived here...but there were those that thought that their kindness made them weak and sought to take the throne by force. You were only eight years old when the war started. A man by the name of Talen had formed a large army of followers from the neighboring kingdoms and launched his attack during our harvest festival..." He had an angered look on his face as he remembered that day.

"That man...no one knew where he had come from. He was evil and insane...when he and his army attacked they killed all who got in the way and before we had a chance to defend ourselves he had reached the castle doors. It didn't take long to break the door down..." Orion paused to drink more of his tea and continued.

"Your father and mother armored themselves as quickly as they could and before they went to battle they gave you to me and told me to get you out. The safest thing I could think of was to take you to the gate and on to another realm where he couldn't reach you, so I found a horse and took you there. You were so frightened, watching the fires blaze from the village as we went by. It was Talen that spotted us and he took off after us. When we reached the gate I picked you up and that was when he caught up with us. I put you down and drew my sword hoping I could kill him, but he was faster than I imagined...almost unnaturally so. I was only able to block a few of his strikes before he took his sword to my face and started landing strikes. I tried to dodge but the edge of his sword grazed me every time...he tried to knock me unconscious, and as I was struggling to keep awake I saw you go through the gate and he took off after you. I remember waking up hours later. soaked in my own blood and alone. I found my horse and headed back to the village...I've already told you what happened after that."

Everyone sat in silence as his words soaked in. After some time Orion spoke again. He asked here where she had ended up, and how she managed to make it back here. She didn't look up from the table, but she spoke anyway.

"I ended up on Earth in the country of Japan, but didn't remember anything except my name at first...I woke up in a children's home and spent months there before a couple adopted me and raised me. They were good people and they gave me a good life. I was eighteen when they died in an accident. I didn't want to stay there so I moved to America to and met my friends there..." She looked like she was about to cry and went silent. Sheldon, Penny, and Bernadette spoke afterwards, and told him about each of their experiences with Kimiko and Sheldon also mentioned the dreams he had. Orion looked shocked.

"If you three can do those things...then maybe the children did get away...you may be their descendants...which means that you three..." Orion pointed at Leonard, Raj, and Howard. "...may awaken to your abilities, whatever they may be, soon enough. Anyway, when passing through the gate, unless you know where and when you want to be, its possible to end up anywhere at any time. Only the royal family and few trusted members of the court, including myself, knew that. It was never to be abused and the king and queen made sure of that. It enabled them to travel anywhere in Myridius that they needed to be, and made traveling to the distant countries here for diplomatic reasons easier. All of those events, they don't seem like a coincidence though...it could be that Talen is still after you Kimiko, all the more reason to be careful. Give me some time, and I'll outfit you all with some light armor and a weapon for each of you. If you plan of traveling you'll need them, but more so if Talen returns. Until then, I ask that you remain here in the village until I can finish some gear for you all."

The gang looked to each other, then to Orion and nodded in agreement. He stood up and Sheldon spoke. "Are we allowed to go to the castle? Since its not far?" Orion sighed and turned to him.

"I suppose, but I sealed all the known passages there. There's only one left, and your sitting on it." They looked at each other in confusion and then looked under the table at the large round rug. Leonard lifted the it a little and noticed a handle in the floor.

"I built a passage from here to the castle after the war, and I go there from time to time to make sure that its been left untouched. If you really want to go, and I'm sure Kimiko does, then I'll allow it. It was her home after all and I wont deny her the right to be there. You boys move the table, I'll go to my shop and fetch you some lanterns." Orion walked out of the room and headed for his shop. The guys looked at the large solid oak table and pushed it across the room. The girls rolled the rug out of the way and Orion returned with four lanterns. He kneeled down and pulled the door on the floor open, revealing a small staircase leading to a tunnel. He handed each of the guys a lantern and Howard, Bernadette, and Raj went first, then Leonard and Penny. Kimiko followed after and just as Sheldon was about to go Orion put a hand on his shoulder and spun him around.

"Listen here boy, Kimiko is like family to me, since you were the one chosen to protect her you better do a good job of it. Anything happens to her and I'll break your legs, understand?" He glared at Sheldon and he gulped. Nodding in agreement he looked Orion in the eyes. "I can assure you, I'll do whatever I can to keep her safe, and not because it's my job to...I have my own reasons." Orion grinned, he knew what Sheldon had meant and gave him a hard pat on the back.

"I understand. Now get going." After Sheldon entered the passage Orion closed the door behind them and sighed, heading for his shop to put armor and weapons together for them. "Yup, just like that boy...should have known he'd fancy her too..." He then chuckled and went to work.

Meanwhile, the gang headed down the passage towards the castle, not knowing where in it they would end up. They didn't say much to each other, but they each thought to themselves, wondering what they would find and how long they would be in Myridius for. They wondered if they would ever get home and worried if Talen really would come for them...

After a while they reached the end of the passage and pushed the door open. It took a few minutes for their eyes to adjust and when they could see better, they looked around and saw hundreds of shelves and bookcases, all full of books...from floor to ceiling.

"We must be in the library...its huge..." Bernadette looked around in amazement. Penny and Raj noticed the massive stained glass windows and Howard picked up a book from a nearby desk.

"It feels weird, but I do feel at home here." Sheldon said as he walked around.

"Yeah, its kind of like, deja vu. Really weird." Leonard's voice trailed off as they all explored the library.

There was even a section for spell books and learning sorcery, these had interested Bernadette and she took a couple off the shelf, placing them in a basket she had picked up off a table she had passed. Penny had taken interest in them as well and took a couple to read later. Raj and Howard had found large star charts hanging in another section and they began discussing the constellations of Myridius. Its solar system differed greatly from Earth's and they both wanted to take a map back with them if they managed to make their way home, not to show to the science community, but to keep as a reminder of their journey. Leonard had found a map of the surrounding continents and countries and decided to keep it with him. He knew if they decided to travel it would be useful to have.

Sheldon and Kimiko stood by the entrance to the hall and talked.

"You've been pretty quiet today. How are you feeling?"

"Honestly Sheldon...I feel overwhelmed. To have all of this come back to me and to finally know where I came from and about my family...it's a lot to process. I'm still having a hard time believing all of it even though I know this is real...there are still holes in my memory..." She sighed and he patted her shoulder.

"If it makes you feel better, at least you know you're around people that care about you. Maybe it'll make the transition easier. Whenever this ordeal is done...do you still want to come home with us? Or try to rebuild this kingdom...it is yours after all, its your birthright and your home..." He could feel his stomach tighten as he said those words and he hoped her answer wouldn't be the latter.

"I'm not sure...I really don't know what I want to do yet..." She looked down at the floor and Sheldon let out a small breath of relief. It wasn't the answer he had hoped for, but she didn't say that she wanted to stay here either.

"Guys?" Kimiko called out to the others. "We should get moving, there's still a lot left to explore." The others agreed and Howard and Raj picked up their maps, and Penny and Bernadette each took a couple of books with them. As they walked down the massive hall their footsteps echoed. It was so quiet there but felt peaceful.

They reached another doorway at the western end of the hall and opened it. On the other side looked like the main entry way and there were several sets of doors on all sides. They agreed to split up and meet back there later. Howard, Bernadette, and Raj went to explore the doors to the west of the hall, Penny and Leonard went to the southern end of the hall and Sheldon and Kimiko walked to the northern end.

Howard and the others found the kitchens, the staff quarters, and the doorway to the gardens. The gardens were overgrown but there were still flowers that bloomed there. Raj and Bernadette both talked about how beautiful they were, so Bernadette picked the one that she liked the most, a small purple rose and placed it between the pages of one of her books to press it.

" Its such a beautiful color Howie, I've never seen roses like this before...There's so many things here that we'll never see again when we go home. I want to take one with me so we can remember this place..."

After they left the gardens, they went back to examine the staffs quarters.

Leonard and Penny had found the ballroom, another room that looked like a courtroom or meeting hall, a music room with a grand piano and many other instruments, and finally, a small hall that led up to one of the larger towers. As they climbed the stairs, Leonard needed to take frequent stops to catch his breath. Luckily for him Penny always carried his spare inhaler with him. When they reached the top they opened the door to find a massive bedroom. It was covered in layers of dust but it still looked beautiful. one one of the walls by the window there hung a painting of a man and a woman. They recognized the couple as the same from the gateway...they were Kimiko's parents. Kimiko's mother was sitting in a chair. She had a kind smile on her face and her eyes were a silver-blue. She wore a sky blue gown and a golden diamond pendant with wings and an onyx dragon wrapped around it, laid around her neck. Her long platinum hair rested gently in a braid over her left shoulder and her hand rested under her husbands, whose hands rested on her shoulders. A small silver crown rested on her head. Kimiko's father looked tall. He was lean, but from what they could tell, well built. He wore a black doublet with white pants. His hair was jet black, and his eyes a bright blue. A silver crown also rested on top of his head. He stood behind his wife smiling. They were so happy...it made Penny tear up and she wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

"Leonard, those are her parents...look at them, they look so happy...it's so sad that they had to die..."

Leonard hugged Penny and once she had calmed, they looked around the room and then headed back down to the main floor.

Sheldon and Kimiko had first found the throne room, then they came across a bedroom that looked like a child's room. Kimiko wandered about the room, and sat on the edge of the bed next to a small end table. She ran her hand along one of the dusty lavender pillows and another image came to her mind. This was her room. As a child this is where she slept. She opened the drawer of the end table and sitting there was a book. Picking it up she dusted off the tan leather cover and opened it. Written on the inside was a note...

"_Happy Birthday Kimiko, this is for you. It's my favorite book but I want you to have it so we can read it together. Take care of it okay?_" Kimiko tried to make out the name on the note but it was too faded. She realized it must have been from her friend, the one Orion said she was glued to. She tried so hard to remember him...but his name and his face wouldn't come to her memory. Without realizing it tears were streaming down her face. She held the small book close to her and sat there. Sheldon sat beside her and she showed him the book. Flipping through the pages he saw that it was a story about myths and legends from what he suspected were the countries throughout Myridius.

"Sheldon, I cant even remember him...I cant remember anything about any of the friends I had here as a child..." Sheldon set the book back down on the end table and put his arm around her.

"I'm sure you'll remember eventually...just give it time. Your mind is still processing a lot and you shouldn't try to overload yourself." He pulled a small packet of tissues from his pocket and offered them to her. She wiped her eyes and thanked him.

"Come on, lets go Kimiko, there's still another room near here that we haven't explored yet." He stood up and offered her his hand. Kimiko picked up the book and her other hand grasped Sheldon's. He helped her stand and they went off to the next room. It was the armory. Weapons, various styles of armor, tabbards, and shields were scattered about the room. The room looked messy but they knew it was because the knights had scrambled to gather what they needed during the war. It was then that something caught Sheldon's eye. Displayed on one of the mannequins was a sky blue tabbard with black trim along the edges, resting on the center was a golden yellow lion...he stood there and stared at it. This looked just like the flag he had made for his apartment. It couldn't be coincidence could it?

"Sheldon? What did you find?" Kimiko walked up to him and told her about the tabbard and the flag he had made for his apartment. He asked her if he could take it with him and she agreed. They decided that they should meet up with the others and they headed for the main hall.

They still had much to explore, but it was getting late and the sun was beginning to set. Once they were all together they went back to the library and picked up their lanterns. Opening the passage they stepped down into the tunnel and headed back to Orion's home. He greeted them as they returned and the guys gave the lanterns back.

"Orion, there's still a lot we haven't seen...can we use the tunnel again tomorrow and go back?" Kimiko asked as he closed the door to the passage and moved the rug and table back.

"Of course you can. Like I said its your home. Go as many times as you need to." He smiled and gently patted the top of her head. They said their goodbyes and headed back to the inn for the night. Mara had made them another wonderful meal and they ate their fill. Heading up to their rooms Kimiko waited until the others had gone into their rooms before knocking on Sheldon's door.

"Come in." She heard him say and she opened the door. Closing it behind her she looked over at Sheldon.

"Are you tired Sheldon?"

"Not really, I haven't really gotten used to sleeping here so it keeps me up. I find it takes a lot longer to sleep here...Are you?" He was setting up a fire in the fireplace and when it had finally gotten going he put the guard up and turned to her.

"Not really...I was wondering if maybe..." She paused and held up the book she had found earlier. "Maybe you wanted to read this with me..."

Sheldon paused for a moment before sitting on the floor by the fireplace. He nodded, saying it would be interesting to read stories from her world, and she sat beside him. She handed him the book and he opened it to the first chapter. He began to read it aloud and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Chapter One. The Guardian of Aquamirious. This legend tells the tale of a beautiful and kind goddess who watches over the country Aquamirious, a large island that rests in the Crystal Sea just past western mountains of Myridius..." He continued on with the story of how the goddess trusted all and protected those who traveled by sea by blessing them with good weather and calm waters.

"One day she had fallen in love with a young sea captain from a distant land. She did not realize though that he had only wanted to capture her and steal her power so he could rule the sea and the island that she watched over. Blinded by love she did anything he asked. including reading a passage from a strange book that he had given her. Telling her is was a story from his homeland. In doing so she felt a stabbing pain in her heart as her power drained from her body. It was only then that she realized she had given up her power and become a mortal."

"With her power flowing through him he laughed at her and had her cast overboard. She tried to swim after them but found herself exhausted quickly. She feared she would drown but to her luck, a fisherman and his wife pulled her from the sea. The goddess thanked them for their kindness and told them only that she was cast overboard by the captain and that she had to get to Aquamirious. The fisherman and his wife resided on the island and agreed to bring her there. She was so heartbroken that her love had cast her away, that she vowed vengeance on him. After reaching the island she saw that he and his crew were attacking the small village and it only fueled her hatred. She picked up a dagger that was laying on the sand and approached him as he began setting the homes on fire and caused the sea to rage so the villagers could not escape. He was so absorbed in his own actions that he did not see her behind him. She drove the dagger through his heart and the stolen power was released. Regaining her power she made rain pour from the sky to put the flames out and the captains crew retreated to their ship. The goddess refused to let them leave alive so she cast a spell over the entire ship, turning them all into stone before she opened a massive whirlpool in the sea. It swallowed the ship and its crew, and its said that they are still there at the very bottom of the deepest part of the Crystal Sea."

"From that day forward, it's also said that the goddess only blesses the islanders with safe waters, and a warning is cast to those who try to cross the sea. The goddess will not make it a safe journey until she herself sees that the travelers heart is pure and free of evil. Those who wish to reach Aquamirious with dark intentions are cursed to be swallowed by the sea."

As Sheldon finished the story, he looked over and saw that Kimiko had fallen asleep. Her head still resting on his shoulder. Setting the book down he picked her up and put her in his bed. He then picked up the book and placed it on the chair by his bed and put the fire out before laying down beside her. His last thoughts before falling asleep were of the story he had read. He found it fascinating and looked forward to reading another one. "_Maybe tomorrow I'll read her another one..._" He thought as he drifted off to sleep


	9. Chapter 9: Unexpected Visitor

Authors Note:

I felt disappointed today when I noticed that several people removed themselves from my story's follow/favorite lists. I apologize and I've decided to push myself to write the next chapter sooner so those that want to read it don't need to wait too long. I promised a great chapter and I hope I've delivered it. Comments/reviews/constructive criticism are always welcome, and I'd love to see what people think of the story so far. Thank you so much to all of you that have taken time to read my fic, as well as to those that have posted reviews so far. It means a lot to me to see that people are interested in my writing. Like I mentioned, its my first fanfic so I was (and honestly still am) a bit shy about letting other see my writing.

Also added 2 new pieces of story art on my deviantart page! The link is in my profile if you want to check em out!

Chapter Nine: Unexpected Visitor

It was late in the night. The pale moon hung over the blackened sky and silence had fallen over the forest. The doors of the gateway swung open and out stepped three figures, cloaked and armed. Two of them walked behind the other. The figure ahead glided along the ground, their steps fluid like water flowing down a river.

One of the followers was massive in height an build, standing at least eight feet. Their body extremely muscular and through the hood of the cloak shone a pair of bright red eyes. Also protruding from the hood were the tips of what looked like a pair of curled horns. Each step leaving a paw like imprint in the ground.

The other that stood beside the massive being was much smaller. Their body was slender and serpent like. A long, scaled, pale orange tail slid along the ground with each graceful step. Long claw like nails from their hands gleamed like knives in the moonlight.

They proceeded thought the forest and stopped only when they reached the outer edge of it. They stood there, looking over the landscape and onwards to the village in the distance. The figure in the lead released a small yet sinister laugh. The man continued to gaze over at the village, and he hissed.

"She's here...I can feel it. The little brat has made her way back to Myridius...oh how long I have chased her, trying to get her to return here...It took more pushing than I thought. Sune-Ku, I applaud your efforts. Getting those pathetic humans to attack her, and to set her home aflame was clever..." The serpent like figure bowed their head and spoke.

"Thank you Master...humans are so easy to manipulate. It was child's play getting to them and leaving their small minds open to my control." The voice was a woman's. It was soft and seductive, but carried a spark of venom in each word. However the man raised his hand quickly and she fell silent.

"But you did step too far, you nearly killed her both times...did you forget that she was only to be spooked? Her death is to be by my hands, and only mine. Not yours..." His tone had quickly changed. There was a tone of warning and malice that made the woman step back.

"My apologies Master..." Sune-Ku said quietly. The massive figure beside her let out a small growling chuckle and she hissed under her breath. "Shut up Cearbhall..."

Cearbhall growled at her and put a hand on the massive axe on his back. The man before them turned his head and shouted.

"Enough out of both of you! She's not alone...there are others with her."

"She pulled humans through the gate? Master isn't that impossible? The...the people of Terra shouldn't be able to pass through here. The gateway was closed to them centuries ago wasn't it?"

"While the humans lost their privilege to access the gateway, they can still be brought through under very grandfathered circumstances. They can only pass into Myridius if they carry the bloodline of the people here, which I don't think is the case...it's too rare...or if a member of one of the royal families brings them here." The man pondered it for a moment and then shook his head.

"Never mind that though. We need to be rid of them if we are to get to the princess. It will be better to pick them off one at a time. Sune-Ku, Cearbhall, I have just the plan to get rid of them..."

"The plan Master?" Cearbhall spoke finally and his voice was low and gruff.

The hooded man turned to them and lowered his hood. He looked to be of the Elven race. His eyes burned a deep shade of burgundy and his hair a dark chestnut color, tied back into a short spiked ponytail. A twisted smile spread across his thin face and he licked his lips. A look of twisted pleasure appeared in his eyes.

"We turn them against each other...and when they divide, we pick them off one by one and slaughter them...if they haven't done so to each other already. I look forward to seeing their blood upon our blades though...and watching their corpses fall at our feet. I think I'll have some fun with the princess before I kill her though...I'd very much like to torment her and watch her squirm..." He turned his view to the village as an icy wind fell upon them. their cloaks billowed in the wind and the elven man let out a maniacal laugh that ripped through the air.

"Once the last of the Myridius royals has fallen the other countries will kneel before me I will be a god! The gateway will be ours to control as well and we can invade the other worlds...nothing will stop us..."

"An excellent plan...Master Talen..." Sune-Ku hissed and a grin spread across her still hidden face. Talen raised his hood and signaled for them to follow. They headed towards the village.

As they arrived in the village, the moon was close to setting and the sun was to rise soon. In the twilight they made their way to an abandoned building across from the inn and made their way inside. Cearbhall had gotten a little stuck in the doorway but after a few minutes of struggling he managed to force his way through and into the building. They decided to watch and see just who the princess had brought with her.

"We will watch for now, and begin our plan when night falls. Sune-Ku,What do you say about paying one them a visit in their sleep. Use could your magic to cast a nightmare illusion over their dreams...see if we can get one of them to try and kill the another as they slumber..." Talen grinned and Sune-Ku nodded in agreement.

"Master, are you sure you want to let her? She nearly failed last time. I don't think-" Cearbhall had been trying to take off his cloak when it caught on his ram like horns. The massive humanoid tiger sat in a corner of the room attempting to yank the snagged cloak off when Talen's voice boomed through the old dining room.

"Silence! You're not here to think! Not that you have much in that head of yours to think with..." Talen sneered at his servant and continued. "You're just the muscle. So do not speak unless spoken to understand? Or its back to those mines with you...and your children...you wouldn't like that right? All I'd have to do is tell the Lareric royal family where you hid them." Cearbhall let out a low growl and shook his head, finally yanking the cloak off his horns. "Who knows...the mines may not be how they're punished...if it were me I'd have them all skinned and used for floor mats...and on the plus side, for me anyway, I've never had tiger meat before..." Talen had that twisted, maniacal smile on his face and suddenly he had another idea.

"Actually, I may have a use for you today...let's change the plan a little and send you out to observe. Surely you know how to count and remember how many of them there are? Go to the inn and find out. The barkeep will think you're just passing through. Stay there and wait for Sune-Ku to arrive, she will preform her task and then you are to report back here. Get moving and don't screw it up. I don't want anyone to know I am here...yet... " Talen waved his hand and Cearbhall grunted. He got up and again got stuck trying to get out the door. Bits of the door came off as he forced his way through and he trudged over to the inn.

Thankfully for him the doors were wide enough. He skulked into the inn and took a seat. Hearing loud footsteps thundering into the inn Mara stepped out of her office and hesitantly headed into the bar area. She stopped dead in her tracks and stared. She had never seen anyone from Boreveth before. She had only heard rumors of them. Their island homeland was invaded and the islanders were put to work as bodyguards or mine workers in the desert country of Lareric. It was strange for one of them to be here on their own...

"C...Can I help ye?" Mara squeaked as she walked around to look up at Cearbhall. He stared down at her and raised an eyebrow. Mara could feel the sweat drops forming on her forehead as she trembled in her spot. The creature...no the person...was a lot bigger than she imagined. Suddenly Cearbhall cracked a gentle grin and leaned down, looking her in the eyes.

"It is fine, I do not bite. Can I get an ale?" He watched as she nodded quickly and scurried away to the kitchen. Moments later, Kimiko, Bernadette, and Penny headed downstairs chatting about heading to see Orion later that afternoon with the guys (who were all still asleep...) when they saw Cearbhall and squealed...He froze.

"Oh my God look! A giant stuffed tiger!" Penny grabbed Bernadette, and Kimiko and they ran over to Cearbhall and stared. He tried hard not to move as the girls looked at him. He wondered which one was the princess..he didn't realize there was more than one human female there but one caught his eye...It was Bernadette.

"_Is that the princess? She is pretty for a human...but she is so small...why didn't Master Talen tell me there was more than one of them? Oh no...I need to sneeze..._" Cearbhall's nose and whiskers twitched and he tried hard to hold his breath. It wasn't helping that the girls started poking his arm and Bernadette sighed happily.

"Its so life-like! I wonder who made this..." Bernadette thought she saw his eyes move but decided not to think twice about it. Penny and Kimiko on the other hand decided to wrap their arms around him and bear-hug him...not exactly the best idea because...

"Awww! It's so soft, like a teddy bear!" Penny squealed and immediately after...

"**AAAAAACHOOOOOOO!**" He couldn't contain the sneeze any longer and the sneeze ended up sounding like a roar. The table shook and the girls screamed. Scrambling across the room they bolted for the stairs still screaming in terror.

"Wait! Don't be scared! I wont hurt you! It was a sneeze!" He called out after them but it was too late, they had retreated back to their rooms and Mara came running out with a butcher knife.

"What is the matter with ye?! Ye tryin' to eat my guests?!" Cearbhall's eyes widened in horror and his ears folded back. He didn't know what to do. Backing away he tried to explain. While he was a fierce warrior in the battlefield it was against his tribe's code to harm women and children... Borevethian or not, and he liked the little human with the spectacles. Suddenly the guys came running down the stairs each with a fireplace poker in hand.

Sheldon was first down the stairs, he had practically jumped from halfway up the staircase to get to the main floor fast enough. He was followed by Howard and Raj, and Leonard slowly followed behind, not really sure he wanted to see what had scared the girls. Cearbhall was now backed against the wall his hands waving quickly in front of him.

"Please don't! I did not mean to scare your mates! They thought I was a giant...oh what did that tall one say...oh, a teddy bear! I did not want to frighten them so I tried to keep myself from moving, but I had to sneeze and when the tall one and the one with the stripe in her hair hugged me I sneezed! Please I just came here to have a drink!' He had to act quickly, knowing Talen would probably kill him if he had noticed this scene. He was only supposed to observe now he had to interact with these humans and try to fix things without letting them know he was spying for someone that wanted to kill them...to kill the small woman...

"So...you don't want to eat us?" Raj asked as he lowered the poker. Mara and the others eyed Cearbhall and didn't move.

"Eat you?! Why would I eat anyone?! I am no monster! Cearbhall protested as a panicked look fell over his face. "I told you I am only here for a drink!"

"But why are are ye here alone? I thought the Borevethians were all taken to Lareric..." Mara's voice wavered a little as she set the knife down on the table beside her.

Cearbhall's eyes narrowed and when he spoke he let out a low growl of anger. "I work so that my cubs are not forced into the mines of Lareric by those barbarians...or worse...my sacrifice is what keeps them safe and hidden from the true monsters..." As he finished they were all startled by the sound of the girls. His ears perked up as they all turned to them.

"Awwwww!" They had been peeking out from the top of the staircase watching the whole scene.

As they sat there crouched together they looked at Cearbhall and decided to go back into the tavern area. They still moved cautiously, Cearbhall took a deep breath and relaxed. His expression softened and he sat back down. The guys set down the pokers and Mara went back into the kitchen and came back out with a large tankard of ale for him.

"I'm sorry, I did not mean to frighten you." Cearbhall gazed at the girls and then started in on his ale. Penny, Bernadette, and Kimiko looked at each other and nodded before approaching him. He set his tankard down and his ears folded down.

"We're sorry too. Its just...we've never seen anyone like you before. We're not exactly from here..." Penny said as they all sat at the table with him.

"Honestly I thought it was genetically impossible for a Panthera Tigris to have horns...this is fascinating..." Sheldon hovered around Cearbhall, observing him.

"Humans are not the only species here in Myridius, there are many creatures in this world. My people for example, are from the small island jungle of Boreveth. Our males are the only ones to be born with horns and are trained for combat young so we could protect our home and families. Outsiders were not welcome unless our chief allowed it. Unfortunately the forces from Lareric, a neighboring country were many and our homeland was invaded by these barbarians. Our women and children were made slaves for the royal family and the men were sold to work as bodyguards or in the gemstone mines there. Few escaped...my mate and I did our best to hide our cubs during the attack...my cubs survived and escaped as well...but I lost her in the attack..." The girls had teared up, along with Raj, and Howard looked at Leonard. Sheldon was still hovering around the table observing, but moved closer to Kimiko.

"I'm so sorry." Kimiko said as she wiped her eyes. She wished there was a way she could help but she couldn't think of how.

"I'm afraid we haven't properly introduced ourselves. I'm Sheldon, this is Kimiko, and these," Sheldon pointed to the others around the table. "Are our friends, Leonard and his girlfriend Penny, Raj, Howard, and his fiance Bernadette." They nodded and Cearbhall nodded.

"_So the little female is Bernadette..._" He thought and his heart sank a little. Of course she had a mate... "I am Cearbhall."

"How long are you staying in the village for?" Howard asked.

"Uh...I am just passing through, so just for the night." He replied.

They spoke with him a bit longer before excusing themselves. It was past noon and they still needed to go and see Orion. The gang left the inn and wandered down the street. It was a quiet walk to Orion's shop but they were relieved to see him.

"It's good to see you all! You never did tell me about what you saw at the castle, quite a place isn't it?" Orion motioned for them to follow him into the smithing area. "I'm still working on the armor for you, but I made these for the girls..." Orion picked up three leather sheaths off the work bench and handed them to Kimiko, Bernadette and Penny.

"Go ahead and take a look!" He beamed as the girls took their swords from the sheaths. they looked nearly identical, but beautiful. They shone a brilliant silver color and well detailed. The grip was wrapped in a thin black leather, and the pommel was round and held a decent sized gemstone. Emerald for Penny, Ruby for Kimiko, and Sapphire for Bernadette. The cross guard was golden and shaped like a crescent moon. The rain guard held a smaller gem of the same colors and the steel blade had been anodized to give it a light copper tone.

"Wow...these are amazing!" Kimiko exclaimed and the girls agreed.

"They're so light too..." Bernadette smiled. She was a bit afraid at first that they'd be heavy but was pleasantly surprised. Penny had taken a few steps back to make sure she was far enough away from the others before taking a couple of swings at the air.

"Very nice..." Penny grinned and Leonard looked at her with caution, noting to himself not to do anything in the future to piss her off now that she could very well maim him. He noticed Howard must have had a similar idea about Bernadette because he had done the same.

"You boys will have your own swords in a few days. Then until your armor's done I'll loan you some from the shop and teach you how to use those properly." Orion watched as Leonard and Howard nodded quickly and they all proceeded into the dining room. They told Orion about their finding in the castle and what had transpired at the in that morning. Orion's eyes went wide and he bolted up from the table.

"A Borevethian?! Are you certain?" He had already known the answer, based on their description of Cearbhall but that wasn't what worried him. He wasn't certain it was the same one but he knew there one a Borevethian with Talen the night the village was attacked. He didn't want to jump to conclusions but something ate away at the back of his mind, and it told him to be cautious. They did say this one seemed kind, but still...

"Sorry...I just, had some bad experiences around one of them in the past. Why don't you stay in the village today. I don't think you should go far until he leaves..." Orion sat back down and changed the subject. "Anyway, you said you found a map Leonard?"

"Oh yeah...um hang on." He dug through his pockets and pulled out the map he found. Unfolding it he spread the map across the table and took out a pen from another pocket.

"Well if you lot are still set on traveling later on I suggest going around to the allied kingdoms. I'm sure they would be interested in knowing the princess has finally returned and will most likely offer you aid in your journey." Orion began pointing to the surrounding countries. Leonard circled the countries and Kimiko spoke up.

"They're pretty far away It'll take forever to get to them all..."

"I'll take care of that. Any of you ridden a horse before?" The only two that raised a hand was Penny and Sheldon.

"Alright then, I guess I'll be teaching you how to do that too. Why don't you head back to the inn and we'll start with the horses tomorrow, I have a friend just outside the village with horses. I'll travel out there this evening."

Meanwhile, Cearbhall had taken a room up in the inn and waited for Sune-Ku to arrive. He was starting to feel uneasy about going through with Talen's plans.

He had talked to these humans, he liked these humans.

He liked Bernadette.

However, he also knew that if he didn't follow orders his cubs would be in danger. He hated it. Being treated like an idiot and being threatened, he wanted to kill Talen himself...

It was after that thought that he heard a knock on his door. As he stood up the door opened and a cloaked figure slid in. Reaching up with her clawed hands she removed her cloak. Sune-Ku looked human, for the most part, and serpent for the rest. Her skin was a pale orange, scaled around her head neck and down the sides of her torso and legs. Her eyes were bright yellow with a green slit down the center. Sune-Ku had a seductive air about her when she moved, and she was definitely one that could put some men in a trance from her appearance alone. Sune-Ku was a dangerous sorceress, and had an equally dangerous mind.

Talen seemed to favor her because of her power, or maybe because she was just as nuts as he was. Either way it didn't matter to Cearbhall, he didn't like either of them...

"Sune-Ku, before you begin, I want to know which one of these girls is the princess. I know you know and I don't understand why the two of you couldn't be bothered to keep me informed..."

"Don't get your fur in a knot, its the brat with the stripe in her hair...Kimiko I think it was. Now be quiet. For now we wait, and once they are asleep I can do what Master asked of me."

Hours passed and Sune-Ku had listened as the gang said their good nights and went to their own rooms. When she was sure they were asleep she slipped silently into Howard's room and knelt beside his bed. She took a vial of lavender powder from a pouch on her side and poured some in her hand. Blowing it into his face, she quickly and quietly cast her nightmare illusion spell and slipped back out into the hall and back to Cearbhall's room. She sat down on the floor and closed her eyes, chanting her control spell. The spell allowed her to take control of whoever she used that powder on, as well as see the surroundings through their eyes, making it easier for her to control her victim.

Sune-Ku's eyes suddenly snapped open and were glowing white. She could see this man's dream, and she grinned. It was going to be too easy...


	10. Chapter 10: Nightmares

Authors Note: I apologize for a couple of things...first, I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. Just got a new job and had to move, so the story got pushed back until I was settled in and able to write again. Second, to the fans of Howard, I was pretty mean to him when I wrote this chapter...but for good reason. I've also got more art coming soon. Currently working on a pic of Sune-Ku and Talen. I'll have those posted when they're finished.

Chapter Ten: Nightmares, Shattered Bonds, and Traitors

- Howard's Nightmare -

Howard was dreaming of his upcoming wedding with Bernadette. He had arrived at the church and stood there before all of their guests, waiting for the love of his life to walk down the isle. He was nervous, but it seemed to melt away as she appeared. When she reached him the world around them went dark. Looking at Bernadette he realized she seemed different somehow, and it was confirmed when she spoke.

"Look at you Howie...you're such a pathetic excuse for a man. You're a skirt chaser and a pervert that still lives with his mother. I won't marry someone like you." She stepped back and Howard began to protest...but the words wouldn't come out...

"I've already found a man that's so much better than you..." Another man appeared beside her and he recognized him as...Sheldon?

"Sorry Howard, the lady knows what she wants."

"But...but Bernie..." Howard rushed up to her and she put her hand out. An unseen force blasted him backwards onto the ground and laughter echoed around him. He sat up and stared at them, anger and hatred flowing through him. He didn't want to lose her, not to him of all people. He wanted to kill...the rage began to build and his blood boiled...if he couldn't have her then no one could. He wasn't about to let Sheldon Cooper of all people, take this from him too...

- End -

Howard's eyes snapped open but he wasn't truly awake. His eyes glowed white and he slowly sat up. Bernadette was beside him in a sound sleep. He stood up and turned towards her, grabbing her sword off the nightstand, and drew it from the sheath. Howard walked slowly around the bed to Bernadette's side and an evil grin spread across his face. Standing over her he raised the blade and suddenly she started to wake.

"Howie? Is that you...why are you up so late?" She blinked, trying to unblur her vision and she looked up, the blood drained from her face and she started to scoot backwards.

"Oh my God! What are you doing?!" She screamed and bolted from the bed, Howard following closely behind her. Bernadette screamed again and Howard grabbed a fistful of her hair.

"Nooo! Let me go!" Her screams echoed through the room and Cearbhall's ears perked.

"_Bernadette! No, not her!_" He bounded off the bed he was sitting on and bolted out of the room on all fours. As he tore through the hall he reached Bernadette's room and burst through the door, breaking it off the hinges. The others had heard the screams and raced out of their rooms, watching in horror as Howard was attacking Bernadette, then as Cearbhall pushed past them into the room.

Bernadette was struggling to free herself from Howard's grasp and Cearbhall snapped. With a deafening roar he ripped the sword out of Howard's hand and freed Bernadette. She huddled in the corner of the room and Cearbhall stood between them, guarding her and bearing his teeth at Howard.

"That's ENOUGH!" He bellowed as the others entered the room.

Sune-Ku had watched the whole scene through Howard's eyes and broke the control. She was furious that Cearbhall had turned on them to protect those filthy humans no less! She peeked around the corner of the door and when everyone had piled into Howard and Bernadette's room she quietly slipped away into the shadows and out of the inn. A sly grin formed on her face and she cackled.

"Wait until Master hears of this...He'll make that traitor pay..."

Meanwhile, Howard's eyes returned to normal and he stumbled sideways, dropping the sword and raising a hand to his face. Raj and Leonard grabbed his arms and forced him into a chair, holding him down.

"What the hell dude?! You tried to kill Bernadette! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Raj was freaking out and Penny marched up to Howard. She punched him hard in the face before joining Kimiko, who had knelt down beside Bernadette to calm her down. Bernadette was in tears, sobbing in a crumpled heap on the floor. Kimiko and Penny put their arms around her and tried to comfort her. Cearbhall stayed where he was and just watched. He couldn't tell them what he knew...at least not yet...

"What are you guys talking about?! I'd never try to hurt her! I love her more than anything you have to...to..." He looked over at the sword laying on the floor then over to Bernadette. He could feel his chest tense and seeing her so upset crushed him. How could he have done that? He didn't remember anything...

He could feel the icy stares from the others and he hung his head. No one would believe him, so he didn't try to argue. There was nothing he could say right now except...

"Bernie...I'm so sorry...guys, let me go I'm going to leave...I won't let Bernie get hurt because of me...I didn't know what I was...I could never...Bernie, forgive me..." Leonard and Raj let go of Howard and he hurried out of the room and out of the inn. He wasn't sure which way to go, until he heard a voice behind him.

"You look lost...come with me, I can help you..." Howard turned towards the cloaked figure and it approached him. Unfortunately for Howard the figure approaching was Talen, not that he knew that.

Talen lowered his hood and his twisted grin appeared. "Yes...I'll help you..." Dark orbs of energy formed around his hands and the ground shook. The color drained from Howard's face and he turned to run but the ground broke open beneath his feet. He fell forward and clawed at the ground and Talen laughed as he raised his hands. A stream of magic wrapped around Howard's leg and yanked him down in to the pit. Talen's twisted smile grew as the ground closed.

One down, six more to go. He also made as mental note to deal with Cearbhall later...

Back in the inn, Bernadette had begun to calm down. Mara had brought her some tea and sat with Kimiko and Penny, who were still sitting on the floor with Bernadette. Leonard and Raj were speaking in hushed tones on the other side of the room.

"What are we going to do now? How could he do such a thing? It makes no sense..." Raj had so many questions, but he knew there was no answer he could receive that would justify what had happened. Leonard on the other hand, was quicker to judge than Raj was.

"He tried to kill her! I think he's just finally snapped. We've been here way too long...and it finally got to him. I'm glad he's not here right now or tiger-man over there probably would have eaten him alive. I think he might like Bernadette..."

"Are you serious?!" Raj looked at Cearbhall, who had turned to walk out to the hall, then back at Bernadette.

"But she loves Howard, and I'm sure he'll come back! I don't think he did this intentionally..." Raj had trailed off and turned away from Leonard. He stared out the window and sighed before continuing.

"I need to get some sleep..." He turned on his heel and hurried out of the room. Leonard gave an exasperated sigh and headed over to Penny.

"How's Bernadette?" He asked.

"She finally cried herself to sleep...Kimiko and I are going to stay in here with her, so try and go back to bed. We'll go see Orion tomorrow. Maybe he'll know something..." Leonard nodded and left without another word. Penny looked back at Bernadette, whose reddened tear-streaked face now looked a bit more peaceful. Penny and Kimiko agreed to look out for her until Howard came back...if he ever came back.

Kimiko, not taking her eyes off her sleeping friend whispered to Penny.

"I'm so sorry...If I hadn't brought you all here none of this would have happened...you were all thrown into this mess with no choice in the matter and I'll do whatever I can to get everyone home again..."

Penny didn't say a word, but rested her hand on Kimiko's shoulder and gave her a gentle, forgiving look. She then got up and grabbed a pillow and blanket off the bed. Kimiko helped her put the pillow under Bernadette's head and they put the blanket over her. They didn't want to disturb her sleep. It was going to be a long night, and tomorrow didn't seem to look any brighter...


End file.
